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Kellaki is a sub-mountainous, purely Greek village in the Lemesos District. It is situated in a distance of 28 kilometres northeast of the city of Lemesos and only 12 kilometres from the coast area.
It is built on the southeast side of Troodos, on an average altitude of 650 metres. From a geological point of view, the following beds of rock dominate within the administrative expansion of the village: Diabases, gabbros, pyroxenites, serpentines of the ophiolite complex of Troodos. Siliceous soils have been developed above theses bed rocks.
The village has an excellent climate and a wonderful natural surrounding space since a big part of its land is covered by a pine forest and bushy vegetation.
From a communicative point of view, Kellaki is connected with the village of Eptagonia to the north (about 4 km), with the village of Parekklisia to the south (about 8.5 km), with the village of Klonari to the northeast (about 3 km) and with the village of Prasteio Kellakiou to the southwest (about 1.5 km).
Historical facts
Kellaki has been known from the Frankish period. De mas Latrie mentions it as Chiegliachia and remarks that it was originally owned by the Battalion of the Templar Knights, but, later on, after the Battalion was dismantled, it came into the hands of the Battalion of the Hospitallers of the Great Kommandaria. Apart from the village, on an 1862 map, he also marks the population which was about 200 people.
Naming
According to the most dominant version, the village owes its name to a small cell that was built in a rock in the area since the Christian monasticism which had begun since the 3rd century B.C. pushed its fans into building small rooms in secluded areas in order to accommodate monks. Each small room was destined for a monk and was named ‘kellion’. (The construction of big buildings with many cells – monasteries – and an organized monasticism began later, during the 9th century.) When the pillar saint, who firstly built the small cell, ( = kellaki) abandoned it, the settlement of Kellaki was formed at the place. This means that the village had been named during the Byzantine period. However, another version links the naming of the village with the cells of Regaena.
Population-Development
Kellaki met populating fluctuations. In 1881, Kellaki had 316 residents who were decreased to 303 in 1891, to 276 in 1901, to 275 in 1911 and then increased to 411 in 1921 and again decreased to 221 in 1931. In 1946, the residents increased to 393, to 408 in 1960 but decreased to 261 in 1973, to 255 in 1976 and to 250 in 1982. In 2001, the number rose to 267. Today, the community’s population numbers 350 permanent residents.
Before an exaltation of urban depopulation was noted, Kellaki constituted the head-village of the area, where all basic government services were headquartered and where law-court meetings were periodically hosted. Today, despite the gathering of most of the services to the city (only a doctor and an assistant superintendent of the District Administration are headquartered in the village), the village continues to maintain the aura of the head-village (kefalochori) due to its central location.
During the past few years, our village has been reviving. An increased interest for permanent or seasonal private stay is observed as well as for organised development. These are the results of the brilliant geographical position of the village, the improvement of the road network, the progressivism of the authorities and the residents of the community, the fact that the village neighbours to Lemesos and also due to the modern trend for return in the countryside which aims to abrogate the dead-ends of the city.
On top of the ridge of the ‘Listovounos’ mountain, where robbers were located in the old years and who bullied the villagers while they were passing by the northern parts of the village towards Lemesos, a modern community with a bright future is being constructed.
Education
The students of primary and elementary education of the community attend the Regional Primary School ‘Iamatiki’. The school has been operating since 1989 and is roofed in a modern building, which was constructed in an area between the villages of Eptagonia and Arakapas, within the community boundaries of Eptagonia. It was named after the church which is located in Arakapas. At the school, which operates as a unity day-long school, there are 11 teachers and is attended by students who come from 8 communities of the area, with the community of Kellaki to be the third in order as far as its students’ population is concerned. Hosted at the same school area is the Regional Public Nursery School ‘Iamatiki’. Secondary education students attend Gymnasiums, Lyceums and Technical Schools of the city of Lemesos. |
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