Xylotympou

Xylotympou
Xylotympou Location in Cyprus
Coordinates:
Country	Cyprus
District	Larnaca District
Government
• Mayor	Kyriakos G. Papageorgiou
Population (2011)
• Total	3,655
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code	7510

Xylotympou (Greek: Ξυλοτύμπου [locally [ksiloˈtimbu]] or Ξυλοτύμβου) is a small town in Larnaca District in south-eastern Cyprus. It is one of the three exclaves surrounded by the Eastern Sovereign Base Area of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, a British Overseas Territory, administered as a Sovereign Base Area. The others are the village of Ormidhia and Dhekelia Power Station. It is administered by the internationally recognized government of Cyprus, the Republic of Cyprus.

Xylotymbou until 1917 belonged administratively to Famagusta District and since then it belongs in Larnaca District. It is located in the middle of Makrasyka, Achna, Ormidia, Dhekelia, Pyla, and Pergamos. It is a new village. Until 1821 there were no residents. The Hadjiyiorkis was one of the first inhabitants of the village. When he was married in 1840, the village had only seven houses.

In the old days the village must have been inhabited again. The ancient caves of pre-Christian era, the churches and the smallest, old church of Agios Andronikos from the Byzantine period were built in the same place which later the new church of Agios Andronikos and Athanasia was built.

In ancient times the village, along with Ormideia, Panayia of Traseias, Augorou, Xylofagou, Liopetri, Agia Napa, and Pyla Cape were the thrones of a kingdom that was destroyed by an earthquake and pillaging barbarian invaders. The tower in Xylofagou was an observatory of the time for detection of corsairs conquerors.

In Great Cyprus Encyclopaedia Costas Christofides says that the antiquities smuggler Luigi Palma di Cesnola (1865-1876), and American consul in Cyprus, discovered in 1882 a carved wooden grave with wonderful carving representations of Aphrodite and Artemis. Hence, the name Xylotymbou (Wooden Tomb). The elders of the village said that the place where the tomb was is the place where between 1890-1900 Agios Andronikos and Athanasia church was built were the builters took and used the stones from the grave.

Residents of Xylotymbou engaged in agriculture, trade and many residents work in the British Sovereign Base in Dekeleias and in the tourism industry in Ayia Napa, Protaras, and Larnaca.

Xylotymbou is famous for its many small churches/chapels, about 10 and in particular the majestic monastery of St Raphael, Nicholas and Irene.

Founded in 2006 with the cooperation of the two clubs (Labour Association Xylotymbou and Kimon Xylotymbou) a united team, Football Club Xylotymbou 2006.