Xylofagou
Place in Larnaca District, Cyprus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Xylofagou (Greek: Ξυλοφάγου; locally [ksiloˈfau]) is a village in the Larnaca District of Cyprus, situated close to the A3 motorway between Paralimni and the British military base Dhekelia.
Xylofagou
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|---|---|
Agios Georgios church | |
  Xylofagou Location in Cyprus | |
| Coordinates: 34°58′30″N 33°51′6″E | |
| Country |  Cyprus |
| District | Larnaca District |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 6,231 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Website | xylophagou |
Overview
Xylofagou's name roughly translates to "wood eaters". It lies on the northern flank of a hill,[2] on the edge of a group of several similar villages collectively known as the Kokkinochoria (Greek: Κοκκινοχώρια) which translates to "red villages" due to their abundance of nutrient-dense red soil in which vegetables—especially the extremely popular potatoes that are eaten island-wide—are grown.[3]
Xylofagou is the site of the oldest known dwarf elephant fossils in Cyprus, assigned to the species Palaeoloxodon xylophagou and dating to around 200,000 years ago.[4] It is also home to a medieval Venetian watchtower.[5][6] 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.[7]
In 2021, to commemorate the role played by locally grown potatoes in the community's growth, a 16-foot-tall fibreglass potato statue nicknamed the "Big Potato" was erected in the village. It proved controversial, with some viral videos mocking its phallic shape.[8] Statue designer George Tasou said of the mockery, "I'm not bothered because it's brought publicity to our village, and I'm hoping it will promote the Cyprus potato around the world."[9]