Alaminos: Churches, Village History and Mountain Biking Routes

Alaminos can be viewed from two perspectives when planning your trip: buildings and memorial sites connected with the village’s history, and mountain biking routes. The churches bring together several forms of sacred art; the fortress, monument and traditional village fountains explore other historical themes. This lets you treat cultural interests and cycling as different focuses for your stay.

Main Church and Sacred Art

The main church of Alaminos is dedicated to Saint Mamas and was completed in 1992. A mosaic depicting the saint is located on its western exterior wall. The church also houses a 19th-century icon. It shows the saint seated on a lion and holding a lamb. The icon was transferred to the main church from the older church of Alaminos. The main church thus combines an exterior mosaic with an icon whose origins lead back to an older church building. The building and artwork date from different periods: the icon is from the 19th century, while the main church was completed in 1992.

The Old Church of Agios Mamas

The old church of Agios Mamas is located in the higher part of the village. Its interior features wall paintings and a wooden iconostasis. Compared with the main church, the focus shifts from the mosaic and the transferred icon to wall paintings and the church’s wooden furnishings. The two religious buildings offer different aspects of religious art, from individual artworks to the design of the church interior.

Fortress, Monument and Village Fountains

The stone Koulas Fortress is about eight metres high and was built around the 15th century. The height gives an idea of its scale, while the approximate date of construction places the fortress in its historical context. The Five Heroes Monument commemorates five men who died on 20 July 1974. The traditional village fountains were built in 1954 and recall how women once filled their water jugs there. The two memorial sites draw attention to different aspects: the monument preserves the memory of five people and a specific date; the fountains recall their former everyday use.

Putting the Dates in Context

Each date relates to a different event: the 19th century dates the icon, 1954 the construction of the fountains, 20 July 1974 the deaths of the five men, and 1992 the completion of the main church. This makes it possible to distinguish the artwork, former everyday practices, commemoration and church construction in time.

Mountain Biking Routes

The “Alaminos Mountain Biking Demanding” route begins at Alaminos Beach; the “Alaminos Mountain Biking Moderate” route starts there too. Both routes share the same starting point, while their names distinguish them. The English descriptors can be understood as “demanding” and “moderate,” respectively, and offer an initial indication when choosing a route.

Discover more destinations: Larnaca, Livadia, Tochni, Psematismenos, Lageia, Vavla, Troulloi, Zyyi.

View the broader travel overview: Larnaca.