Potamia village is 22km far from Nicosia. It is near Dali and the occupied villages Piroi and Louroutzina. The village is located beside the river of Gialia, the second largest river of Cyprus. In Cyprus, the word «potamos» means river. In Potamia Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots live peaceful together. Although the number of the Turkish Cypriots has decreased a lot since the Turkish invasion in 1974.
Potamia has a rich history as well as a wonderful natural wealth According the archaeological excavations, Potamia belongs to the ancient Kingdom of «Idaliou» in the prehistoric period. An ancient sanctuary of the Apollo was found in the area plus many other finds most of them kept at Nicosias Cyprus Museum. The most impressive find was Apollos crowned head, witch today is the symbol of Potamias community. The community existed also in the byzantine period, while during the Frankish period, has become a major fief with a great value because many Kings chose to build their holiday mansions in the area. Today, in the southwest side of Potamia there are rescues of Kings Peter B’ (14th century) mansion. These important medieval buildings were destroyed during the period of Cyprus conquest by the Turks (1570-71). The only building saved was Saint Marina little church which was destroyed lately. Today at that point a new Byzantine rhythm church was built.
Εξωκλήσι Αγίας Μαρίνας
Ιn the village centre, there is the main church of the village dedicated to the «Timios Stavros». Some other churches of the village are Saint Marina, Saint Neofytos and «Panagia Pallouriotissa» which the last one is in the buffer zone. It is worth mentioning that between the villages of Potamia and Geri there is beautiful, single aisle, stone-built church of 15th and 16th century, dedicated to «Saint Sozomenos». In the same area you can visit the ascetic house of Saint Sozomenos dated between the 11th and 16th century. Saint Sozomenos was one of the 300 hundred «Alamanous» who left Palestine because of the Arab invasions and he decided to stay at that area until his death.
Εκκλησία Τιμίου Σταυρού
Από την Ποταμιά ξεχωρίζει το υπέροχο φυσικό περιβάλλον και η εύφορη γη που αποτελεί αποτέλεσμα της ύπαρξης του Γιαλιά ποταμού. Η άγρια βλάστηση και οι μεγάλες εκτάσεις με γεωργικές καλλιέργειες χαρίζουν στο χωριό υπέροχες εικόνες μοναδικού κάλλους. Αξίζει να αναφερθεί πως παλαιότερα τη δεκαετία του 50 φυτευόταν καπνός. Στο χωριό εξακολουθεί να διασώζεται αίθουσα επεξεργασίας καπνού, γνωστό ως «Καπνιστήριο».
Σήμερα η Ποταμιά δέχεται επισκέπτες από όλη την Κύπρο. Ευρισκόμενη σε κοντινή απόσταση από τις επαρχίες Λευκωσίας και Λάρνακας αποτελεί ένα όμορφο προορισμό που με τα αξιοθέατα της αλλά και την παραδοσιακή φιλοξενία της, τις ταβέρνες της και τα καφενεία της μπορεί να προσφέρει μοναδικές στιγμές ξεκούρασης και χαλάρωσης.
