Agios Mamas village is rooted at the east foot of the mountain “ZALAKA” that dominates the surrounding area. It is 25 kilometers from Limassol and is 590 meters above sea level. It is well known for its cool climate during the summer months. It is believed that the village was built by the Byzantine Akrites (border guards), defenders of the island from Arabic rains, around the 7th – 10th century. It was named after Agios Mamas patron saint of the Akrites. Agios Mamas has a rich history and tradition. Unfortunately this legendary and important history was destroyed by the Turks in 1571, after they invaded and occupied Cyprus, that also, had as a result the expulsion of the villagers who moved to the Finiki area 1 km north of the village, and the colonization by Turkish settlers. There, at a makeshift settlement and with a tiny church dedicated to St. George, another patron saint of the Akrites, the villagers remained as refugees for 145 years until the time was ripe enough for them to return. Circa 1720 Agios Mamas intervenes as a miracle worker. He appears in a dream of the Reverent Koukounas and requests that a church be built at the exact place where the previous church stood before it was destroyed by the Turks. Another wondrous event occurred when Mikellis Fraggofinos, the village teacher, established in 1898 an important association. It is, today, the oldest association in Cyprus with a life of over a century having rendered eminent successes and triumphs in all sectors. This is the reason why the inhabitants of Agios Mamas consider it “The Akropolis and the new Parthenon of the village Metropolis”. Other than the Association building and the impressive church a visitor can see the small and beautiful Byzantine fresco – painted church of Saint Paraskevi that is situated in the village, the newly – built country church of the Saint Apostles Silas and Siluanus at Xylourikos, the more than its great history it also offers a picnic area under the pine trees where in the summer months it can accommodate over 400 people. There is also the village cultural centre with its rich library of over 1800 volumes. The few village inhabitants that number just 120, while in 1960 there were about 480, cultivate vineyards at present, there is a total re-implantation of vines. Another occupation of the inhabitants is the cultivation of olive trees, almond trees and fruit bearing trees. The village is renowned not only for the quality of is commandaria but also for its quantity that was often more than 2000 donkey loads (a traditional way of weighing). There were many distilleries in the past for the production of commandaria. The last two were demolished in 1960 with the building of a modern winery.
