Aradippou a town is situated in the south of Cyprus, near the International airport of Larnaca. Aradippou used to be a farming village but its socioeconomic composition changed after the Turkish invasion in 1974 as well as due to the economic boom which followed.
It is named after its settler, King Aradippos. The ancient spade brought to light the architectural and other findings which are dated since Antiquity. Aradippou was thriving during the Middle Ages, because of the Royal Villa called ‘The Despotissa Courtyard’ which belonged to Margarita de Louzinian, the sister of Leo the 6th and Amori’s granddaughter, the Prince of Tyrou.
In the present day Aradippou constitutes a nodal point at the international road network of the island and the nodal transportation of Rizoelia which is known to every Cypriot. Aradippou received its township in 1986 and it has gradually been established as a dynamically evolving vigorous town.
After it received town status, Aradippou defined its municipal limits and is now the second largest municipality of Cyprus as it extends over an area of 42,982 square governmental acres.
The population of Aradippou today exceeds 20,000 residents.
Aradippou hosts within its municipal boundaries, the biggest part of the industrial zones which serve the wider region of the nearby urban cluster. These are: the free zone trade, north of the motorway Larnaca-Limassol, the industrial zone with limited degree of perturbation (Zone Ba3) north of the motorway Larnaca-Kofinou and governmental industrial area of Larnaca which although it has joined the municipal boundaries of Larnaca in terms of location is located in the area of Aradippou.
Aradippou is also famous for its numerous churches and chapels. Apostle Loucas church is the oldest in the town. It was built in 1959 in order to cover the increasing needs of the population in Aradippou.
The first church in Aradippou was built in 1700 AD on the same location and the second one was built in 1851 AD on its foundations. In 1960 the church was destroyed due to a fire and was rebuilt for a fourth time. Miraculously, Apostle Loucas’ figure was not affected by the fire and today is part of a remarkable legacy.
Other known churches of the community is Saint Phanurius and Saint Spyridonas and the newly constructed temple of Apostle Varnavas.
The most well-known chapel of Aradippou is ‘Panagia twn Ampelion,’ built on the ruins of an old temple which was destroyed by the Saracens in 1425.
Courtesy of Aradippou Municipality
