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Seven ancient monuments, already in poor condition, suffered further damage in the devastating wildfires that swept through mountainous Limassol last week, Deputy Minister of Culture Vasiliki Kassianidou said Monday.
During a visit to the affected communities and a meeting with local leaders in the village of Omodos, Kassianidou promised the government would back communities forced to cancel cultural events due to the fires.
Accompanied by officials from the Department of Antiquities and local representatives, the Deputy Minister toured the fire-stricken historic sites. Among the damaged were ruins of early Christian and Byzantine churches and two archaeological complexes.
Kassianidou highlighted the presence of hidden watermills scattered through local forests and riverbanks, not yet officially recognized as protected monuments but well known to residents. “We want to expand the list of protected sites and see how we can declare them officially protected,” she said.
She stressed that even though the monuments were already dilapidated before the fires, their cultural value remains significant. The Department of Antiquities has already begun documenting the damage, and steps will be taken to prevent further deterioration.
The Deputy Minister also addressed the broader cultural impact of the wildfires, noting that many scheduled cultural events had to be canceled, hitting local artists’ incomes and affecting community morale. “We want to support the people as much as the monuments,” Kassianidou said. The Deputy Ministry is gathering information on canceled events and plans to offer financial and other support to help communities recover.
Kassianidou further revealed that the ministry’s new strategic plan includes a “Culture and Health” initiative aimed at using culture to support mental well-being. “We want to use this budget to help communities in this difficult situation, because people matter to us,” she said.
She concluded by emphasizing the importance of hope and recovery once essential services like electricity, water, and housing are restored. “We want to show them there is a future ahead. That is the most important thing.”
