Paralimni
| Paralimni | |
|---|---|
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 Paralimni
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| Coordinates: 35°2′0″N 33°59′0″E / 35.03333°N 33.98333°ECoordinates: 35°2′0″N 33°59′0″E / 35.03333°N 33.98333°E | |
| Country |
 Cyprus
|
| District | Famagusta District |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Theodoros Pyrillis |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 15,000 |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Postal code | 5280 |
| Website | www.paralimni.org.cy |
Paralimni (Greek: Παραλίμνι) is a town situated in the southeast of Cyprus, slightly inland, within the Famagusta District. Since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, it has increased in size and status, due to the migration of many refugees fleeing from the north. Many of the people who work in the tourist industry of Protaras and Ayia Napa live in Paralimni, which is now the temporary administrative centre of the Famagusta District and the biggest municipality of the Greek Cypriot-controlled area of the district.
The word Paralimni means "by the lake". Historically, Paralimni was built on the shores of a shallow lake, which filled with water only in the winter. At the beginning of the 20th century, the whole lakebed was reclaimed for agricultural purposes. Paralimni has not always been where it is now; it was built originally on a hill, which was situated between Deryneia and its present location. In the 15th century, it was moved inland to avoid detection by sea pirates. It is said that the first people to settle at Paralimni arrived just after the capture of the nearby town of Famagusta by the Ottoman Turks in 1571. The first settlement was called Saint Demetrius and this place still bears his name today.
In 1986, after a referendum, it was declared a municipality with the name "Paralimni". In May 1986, the first elections were held for the office of mayor and municipal council; Nikos Vlittis was elected the first mayor, and served from 1986 to 2006. In December 2006, Vlittis lost the mayoralty to Andreas Evaggelou, who served as mayor until 2011. The town is also a stronghold for the centre-right Democratic Rally party. Architecturally, Paralimni has been nondescript, as very little (if anything) remains of the original village. Outside of the town centre, the houses are little more than small rectangular blocks, but this is compensated for by their attractive gardens, especially when the trees are in blossom. The new and emerging generations who earn higher salaries than before are spending larger amounts of money in building modern and picturesque houses.
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Wikipedia