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The History of Geroskipou
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Geroskipou has a long history and a long tradition. The various archeological finds that were brought in light of the most recent excavations prove that Geroskipou has been at least inhabited from the middle of the second millennium B.C.(Late Bronze Age).In the pre-historical times Geroskipou had been joined with the adoration of Goddess Aphrodite.
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According to the tradition, in the area of Geroskipou were found the Holy Gardens. Proof is the fact that Geroskipou took her name from the combination of the words Ieros and Kipos. The name of ‘’Gerokipia’’ can be found for first time in the geographer of the antiquity Strabonas as ‘’Ierokipis’’ and in the Latin author ‘’Plinios’’ as ‘’Hiera Cepia’’.
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Indications for the presence of Geroskipou during the Hellenistic years we have from the existence of a cemetery in the places ‘’Haskas’’ and ‘’Katarameni’’ and graves on the rocky side of ‘’Saint George’’. The presence of the settlement during the Roman Period do prove it remains of a settlement that have been found in the feet of the northern hillocks.
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During the first Christian and the Byzantine years Geroskipou preserves its significance as it can be seen principally from the church of Agia Paraskevi, the oldest basilica that have been saved in Cyprus.
During the Frankish domination Geroskipou remained between the crown Lands and was granted during the period between 1464-1468 to the prominent feudal lord Petro Davilla by the King of Cyprus Jacob II.
During the end of the 18th century a British Vice-consulate was established in Geroskipou. From 1800 and thereafter, Geroskipou, precisely because of the fact that constituted the seat of the British vice-Consulate in Pafos, was upgraded and played an important part.
An important location in Geroskipou is “Kato Vrisi” the biggest and most important fountain in Geroskipou. Tradition has it that the water that emerges from the deep is holy water and was used by the Goddess Aphrodite to fill her bath. “Kato Vrisi” is also an ancient aqueduct which over many centuries used to transport water for use by humans and animals in the area. Until recently the inhabitants of Geroskipou used to come to “Kato Vrisi” to wash their clothes. The water itself emerges from the northern rocky hills of Geroskipou.
A short distance from Kato Vrisi can be found the ruins of a water - mill (Neromilos). This structure dates back to the 14th century and it used water power to grind wheat into flour. A flour mill (Alevromilos) was located nearby.
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