The pretty Agios Ambrosios village is located to the north-west of Limassol. We leave on the main Limassol – Paphos road to visit the village, which is well known for its wine culture.
Churches and chapels
Whilst on the highway, look out for the signs to Kouris beach (don’t turn to Kouris Dam). Then turn off the main road and follow the wine route Krasohoria – Lemesos.
Then pass the village Souni and follow directions to another famous village – Omodos. On the way you will see a sign to Agios Ambrosios. ‘follow this.
Arriving at the village, the first thing we notice are the stone buildings located on the hill side interspersed with the vast vineyards. Between 1881 to 1960 the population of the village started to grow rapidly, however, after 1973 due to urbanization the numbers started to decline. Currently, it is home to just 300 people.
In Agios Ambrosios you have wonderful opportunity to walk about and discover the old churches: the Church of St. Ambrosios (14 th century), the chapel of St. Elizabeth with Byzantine frescoes, as well as the chapel of St. George (11 th century).
The Church of the Holy Ambrosios, Bishop of Mediolaum, is located in the center of the village. The temple, built in the 14th century, is a true ornament: even though it is small in size, its architectural style and construction makes it one of the most amazing designs. The church was built as a basilica with two aisles lined with small stones, which makes it even more beautiful.
The temple is surrounded by eight large pillars protruding from the side of the walls. On the left side there is a small hole, which holds a carefully preserved icon of St. Ambrosios. In the northern part of the temple there is a stand with information about the history and construction of the church.
In the eastern part of the temple is a magnificent stone belfry with a single bell.
The interior of the temple is of particular interest: the floor was recently renovated and is laid out with marble. Also some remains of frescoes have been preserved that were rescued during the recent restoration work.
The altar of the church is made of stone and a miniature domed temple supported by four columns in the middle of which is a small dome with a picture of Jesus Christ.
Both externally and internally the church is a wonderful gem of Cypriot architecture. All the restoration work of the church was completed in 1992, after which the temple was used for various village activities.
Not so long ago in the church square a fountain was made of natural stone, which gives the place an greater tranquility and flavor.
In the center of the village we find a monument dedicated to Abbot Epifanios who was born in the village in 1854 where he spent his childhood . At a very early age, before he turned 16 years old, he joined the Trooditissa monastery. Later this man became a great scholar, interested and dedicated to giving all children a good education..
Wineries in the shade of mulberry
After walking through village streets and visiting local attractions, be sure to stop and relax in the shade of a huge mulberry, located in the village square.
Here you can sit in a cozy coffee shop, have a refreshment and maybe even talk to the locals about the history of their village. Believe me, they are happy to tell you about the features of this amazing place.
But our journey is not over yet. Two village wineries – Gaia Oinotechniki and Zambartas produce excellent Cyprus wines. So we went to the “Zambartas” winery and joined in the wine tasting.
Zambartas winery is located at an altitude of Zambartas meters above sea level. The grapes for production come from their own vineyards (varieties Maratheftiko, Semillon, Lefkada, Yanudi), as well as purchased from the best local vineyards.
The Winery annually produces about 60 000 bottles of excellent wine, which is valued by restaurants of high-class hotels (Londa 5 *, Four Seasons 5 *, Le Meridien 5 *, Thanos Hotel Group, Hilton, Columbia and other well-known hotels) and wine shops.
Try to visit the winery from Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., or until 2 p.m. on Saturday for free wine tasting, and perhaps buy a lovely Cyprus wine.
Pay special attention to the rose wine Zambartas, it is considered to be one of the best in Cyprus. The friendly owners will gladly tell you about the history and characteristics of wine production and you will spend a fascinating time touring the winery.
Conclusion
Well, that’s the end of our trip. Every time we come to a new village, we want to come back again and again, because each of them has its own special identity. But we know that ahead of us there are many more interesting villages, about which we will be happy to share with our readers!
