| PRASTIO
KELLAKIOU
The village Prastio is built at about
27 kilometers northeast of the city of Limassol, in
a hilly environment, at an average altitude of 490 meters;
because of neighboring with the village of Kellaki it
is also known as Prastio Kellakiou. The uppermost mountaintops
in the area of the village are "Kyparissia"
(Cypresses, 692 meters) and "Koryfi B" (Top
B, 687 meters).
Prastio Kellakiou receives an average
annual rainfall of about 550 millimeters; citrus (mainly
tangerines and citrons), olive, almond, locust, and
plum trees, very few vegetables and forage plants are
cultivated in the area. There are also several uncultivated
areas that are ridden by wild natural vegetation. A
large part of the state forest of Limassol is within
the administrative boundaries of the village. Also within
the administrative boundaries of the village is the
mountain "Listovounos", known in all of Cyprus
for its narrow, uphill road that leads to the communities
of the area. This road, apart from being uphill, also
has quite a lot of steep and hazardous turns, which
made it one of the most difficult roads in Cyprus. Today
there is one other -large -road that serves the villages
of the area but "Listovounos" continues to
carry its own distinct beauty and charm. Three quarters
of the quarrying zone operating in the area are also
within the administrative boundaries of the village.
These quarries are that of "Kosta Kithreoti",
that of "Skiramon", and that of "Metcom".
As far as transportation is concerned,
a road connects the village with Kellaki and -from that
point on -to other villages of the region.
The village has undergone large fluctuations
of population. In 1881 the inhabitants of the village
numbered 154, increasing to 191 in 1891 but decreasing
to 177 in 1901. In 1911 they increased to 183 and in
1921 to 196. In 1931 the inhabitants were reduced to
157 but increased to 221 in 1946, only to be reduced
again to 195 in 1960. In 1973 the inhabitants were reduced
to 143 and in 1973 to 139. In 1982 the inhabitants numbered
108, while the 2001 census indicated 98 inhabitants.
The village is not mentioned by any
sources of the Medieval era and was probably just a
farm with a few inhabitants then. The name of the village
relates and refers to the Byzantine years.
Some senior researchers claim that
the name Prastio has its origins in the French, Medieval
word "Prasti", which means field. That is,
it concerned the place-name of farms that belonged to
some Feuds. However, the name seems to be clearly Greek
and -indeed -of the Byzantine years, having its origins
in the word "proastion" (suburb), which means
a settlement near the town ("pro tou asti").
During Medieval times, many small
settlements in various parts of Cyprus were named Prastio,
meaning mostly the small agricultural settlements near
other larger settlements (feuds) to which they belonged.
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