Xylofagou Greek:Ξυλοφάγου | |
|---|---|
 Agios Georgios church | |
  Xylofagou Location in Cyprus | |
| Coordinates:34°58′30″N33°51′6″E / 34.97500°N 33.85167°E /34.97500; 33.85167 | |
| Country |  Cyprus |
| District | Larnaca District |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 6,231 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Website | xylophagou |
Xylofagou (Greek:Ξυλοφάγου;locally[ksiloˈfau]) is a village in theLarnaca District of Cyprus, situated close to theA3 motorway betweenParalimni and the British military baseDhekelia.
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 theKokkinochoria (Greek: Κοκκινοχώρια) which translates to "red villages" due to their abundance of nutrient-densered 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 speciesPalaeoloxodon xylophagou and dating to around 200,000 years ago.[4] It is also home to a medievalVenetian watchtower.[5][6] Near Xylofagou is theCave 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-tallfibreglass potato statue nicknamed the "Big Potato" was erected in the village. It proved controversial, with someviral 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]
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