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Xylofagou
Xylofagou ( el, Ξυλοφάγου []) is a sprawling Greek-Cypriot village situated close to the A3 motorway (Cyprus), A3 Motorway between Dhekelia Cantonment, Dhekelia (Larnaca) and Paralimni / Agia Napa. It lies on the northern flank of a hill, on the edge of an area of a group of several similar villages known as the "Kokkinochoria" ("the red villages"), known for growing vegetables, especially potatoes, in red soil. Etymology "Xylo" is the Greek word for "wood". "fagou" roughly means "eater's". And the whole name roughly translates to "Woodeaters" Most of the village lies in Larnaca District. Landmarks The town is home to a medieval Venetian watchtower. Near Xylofagou is the Cave of the 40 Martyrs, where Christian soldiers sacrificed their lives in the 16th century to evade capture by the Ottomans. To commemorate the essential part the potato played in the Community's establishment and growth, a 16-foot-tall potato statue nicknamed the " Big Potato" was erected in the vi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Big Potato (Xylofagou)
The Big Potato is a statue in Xylofagou, Cyprus. Designed by George Tasou and erected in October 2021, it stands 4.9 m (16 ft) tall and is made of fibreglass. Overview The statue cost €8,000 to create and is located at the centre of Xylofagou, commemorating the potato-growing history of Xylofagou and the villages around it. It was created ahead of the annual local potato festival. It is shaped after the Spunta potato breed, which is grown in the village and is famous for its abnormally long shape. It is guarded at night to prevent vandalism. Tasou stated that he was inspired by the The Big Fish in Belfast, and wanted to commemorate Xylofagou's potato history in a similar way. The Deputy Ministry of Tourism in Cyprus welcomed the project. The statue was pushed over by Vandalism, vandals on 1 January 2022 at around 3:30 am, causing €4,000 in damages. It was confirmed to not be weather-related, though the perpetrators were never caught despite a €500 reward for informatio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |