Vasileia (Cyprus)

Vasileia (; ) is a village in Cyprus. It is located 3 km west of Lapithos and is situated under the Koronos peak of the Kyrenia mountain range.

Administrative Status

The village is de facto under the control of Northern Cyprus, where it belongs to the district of Girne (also known as Kyrenia District), while de jure it belongs to the district of Kyrenia of the Republic of Cyprus. Until 1964, Vasileia was a mixed village.

Population

According to the statistical service of Northern Cyprus in 2011, the village has 2,091 inhabitants. The population trend shows that Muslims constituted the majority (61%) according to the Ottoman census of 1831. However, some elderly villagers claim that many Muslims left for Anatolia after the departure of the Ottoman administrators in 1878.

Origins of Name

The name "Vasileia" is derived from Greek, meaning "Kings". In 1975, the Turkish Cypriots adopted an alternative name, Karşıyaka (; ), which means "The opposite shore", in reference to Anatolia beyond the sea.

Geography and Climate

The village is situated almost three kilometers west of Lapithos, under the Koronos peak of the Kyrenia mountain range. The physical geography of the area is characterized by a mountainous terrain with a Mediterranean climate.

History

After the Turkish invasion of 1974, the village was not controlled by the Republic of Cyprus. The territory of the community became part of Northern Cyprus, which has been under de facto control since then.

References

* Ottoman census of 1831
* Statistical service of Northern Cyprus (2011)
* Various sources on the history and geography of Vasileia