Filenews 14 September - by Dora Christodoulou
Bridges are once again becoming a capital in the Paphos countryside. Having proved their decisive role in the everyday life of rural communities over the last three years, state bodies and local authorities in the province, bring their usefulness and role back to the fore.
Within this framework, a huge project is under way by the Paphos Provincial Administration to build a total of nine other bridges in eastern mountainous Paphos, aiming to unite and serve a total of 13 communities, facilitate the movement of people and goods and highlight the natural beauty of the landscape. At the same time, the existing bridges of the province, some of which are even designated monuments of the Department of Antiquities, have undergone or are subject in the last year a facelift for their maintenance and display.
Four stone arched bridges in Paphos province have been declared or are in the process of being declared as ancient monuments by the Department of Antiquities. These are the bridge of Gielefos on the river Diarizos, despite Agios Nikolaos, the bridge of Roudias, despite Agios Giannis, the bridge on the boundaries of the municipality of Geroskipou with the community of Achleia, as well as the bridge of Skarfos in Simos.
From 2018 maintenance work has already begun on the bridge of Gilefos, while from this year similar procedures are being promoted for the bridge of Skarfos in Simos, in cooperation with the competent Departments of Public Works of Paphos, Water Development and the Provincial Administration of Paphos. In particular, this project is considered particularly complex due to the movement of the riverbed to the north of the bridge.
The Department of Water Development will then proceed with the implementation of anti-corrosion measures to make the northern base of the bridge safe. In this way, the Department of Antiquities will be able to implement the maintenance and reinforcement work of the north side of the bridge, in collaboration with the Provincial Engineer of Paphos, the Department of Public Works.
The Department of Antiquities, in collaboration with the municipality of Geroskipou, also revealed an old bridge on the border with Achleia, which had been occupied, like the riverbed, for years. The bridge was recently imprinted and the Department of Antiquities is proceeding with its maintenance.
Work will be completed on the Bridges of Skarfos and Geroskipou in the next period.
The first of the bridges that will contribute to the regional radial connection of the river communities of eastern mountainous Paphos, have already been completed and now the next two are taking place for construction, all in the area of the community of Vota. This is what the prefect of Paphos, Mary Lambrou, said, referring to a very important project for the eastern region of the province.
Ms Lambrou pointed out that both the 1st - Choletion bridge, which has been completed first, at a cost of €500,000, and the Natasha - Diocese and Natasha - Zyripili bridges, at a total cost of €1 million, will have an important role in safe work for farmers in the region, but also a vital role for the safe, reduced time, movement of people in the region.
The next bridges that enter the path of implementation in the area of eastern mountainous and semi-mountainous Paphos, for the convenience of the communities, are the bridges Of Nikoklia - Kouklia, Mamanion - Archimandrite, Agios Georgios - Maron, Salamis - Galataria, and Agia Varvara - livestock area.
A stone-built monument of popular heritage
Undoubted "star" of the few bridges of the Pafitiki land, is the bridge of Gilefos, in the eastern mountainous Paphos, under the impressive volume of Troodos. The stone-built monument of our popular heritage is in recent years a favorite destination for our compatriots who discovered the natural beauty of the surrounding area.
The Venetian bridge of Gilefos is located in the forest of Paphos, six kilometers from the Turkish Cypriot village of Agios Nikolaos. It is the largest stone medieval bridge and is built over the river Dirizos. The edges of the arch are built of stones well chipped and in excellent condition, as well as the top which is the key of the bridge, where it is a sensitive spot.
The base of the road is built of stones of the river. At the access of the bridge from both ends there is a waiting area which shows that there was intense activity during the Middle Ages, which is why it is said that it was the main axis that connected Paphos with the other provinces.