Pyla
{{About|a village in Cyprus|the town in Greece|Pyli|the French sand dune|The Great Dune of Pyla}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Pyla
| native_name = {{hlist|{{native name|el|Πύλα|italics=no}}|{{native name|tr|Pile}}}}
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| image_skyline = Pyla centre.jpg
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| image_caption = A view from Pyla
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| pushpin_map = Cyprus
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| coordinates = {{coord|35|00|50|N|33|41|33|E|region:CY|display=inline,title}}
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| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Cyprus}}
| subdivision_type1 = District
| subdivision_name1 = Larnaca District
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| population_total = 2771
| population_as_of = 2011
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Pyla ({{Langx|el|Πύλα}} ({{IPA|el|ˈpila|label=IPA:}}); {{Langx|tr|Pile}}) is a village in Larnaca District, Cyprus. It is one of only four villages located within the United Nations Buffer Zone, the other three being Athienou, Troulloi and Deneia. Pyla is located in the eastern part of the island, adjacent to the British Sovereign Base Area of Dhekelia. From a legal point of view, it is administered as all other areas controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus, but policed by UN peacekeepers.{{Cite web|date=2018-01-23|title=Mixed village in Cyprus buffer zone looks to offer hope|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20180123-mixed-village-cyprus-buffer-zone-looks-offer-hope|access-date=2020-07-16|website=France 24|language=en}}
The village is special in the respect that it is the only settlement in Cyprus still inhabited by both its original Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot inhabitants.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,1025809,00.html|title = Pyla, Cyprus: Life in a Divided Village | DW | 09.11.2003}} 850 of the inhabitants are Greek Cypriots and 487 are Turkish Cypriots.{{cite web |url=http://www.unficyp.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1416&tt=graphic&lang=l1 |title=UNFICYP > Civil Affairs |access-date=2008-11-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015025759/http://www.unficyp.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1416&tt=graphic&lang=l1 |archive-date=2008-10-15 }} The village has three churches and one mosque.
Pyla-Kokkinokremos{{cite book|last=Keswani|first=Priscilla|title=Mortuary Ritual and Society in Bronze Age Cyprus|year=2004|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6k-whnDUeDgC&q=pyla-+kokkino+kremos&pg=PA155|page=155|publisher=Equinox Publishing |isbn=9781904768036|quote=Still other small centers such as Maa Palaeokastro and Pyla Kokkinokremos may conceivably have been founded as outposts of other larger urban settlements like Kouklia or Kition, thus constituting externally imposed foci of elite power within the surrounding countryside.}} is an archaeological site dating to the Late Bronze Age.
History
File:Watchtower Pyla, Cyprus2.jpg
Pyla is among the oldest villages in Cyprus. The village was first inhabited during the Middle Ages.
On several old maps it is marked with the names Pila or Pilla.
The name of the village is Greek which leads to the assumption{{how?|date=December 2021}} that the village existed during the Byzantine years.{{Original research inline|date=December 2016}} The name "Pyla" is after the Greek word "πύλη" (entrance), probably because it was the only way to travel to the plain of Mesaoria. The University of Central Lancashire has a campus in the village, the only British university to have a site on the island.
Pyla Tourist Area
Pyla Tourist Area is the area that neighbours the sea and belongs to the administrative division of the village of Pyla.
Several of the most luxurious hotels in Cyprus are located in the tourist area of Pyla, such as: Golden Bay, Lordos Beach and Sandy Beach. This strip is lined with a mix of taverns and restaurants, as well as tourist shops and boutiques, which all run parallel to the beachside which offers organised facilities, as well as kiosks and ice-cream stands. Pyla Tourist Area continues through the new Larnaca-Dhekelia sea road, onwards to the C.T.O. (Cyprus Tourist Organisation) beach.
Sports
Currently, Aspis FC is the only football club in the village of Pyla.
Also, the village hosts a volleyball club, named Finikas.
2023 crisis
On August 18, 2023, Turkish soldiers from the Cyprus Turkish Peace Force Command, Security Forces Command, de facto Turkish Cypriot Police and Turkish-Cypriot civilians alike came in conflict with UNFICYP soldiers and vehicles for blocking a road attempted to be built by the Turkish authorities in the island, which plans to connect the village of Arsos that lies within the occupied side to the village of Pyla in the buffer zone, bypassing the road in the northeast that passes through British military base checkpoints.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-18 |title=Foreign embassies in Cyprus express concern over incidents in Pyla buffer zone |url=https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/news/local/foreign-embassies-in-cyprus-express-concern-over-incidents-in-pyla-buffer-zone/ |access-date=2023-08-18 |website=in-cyprus.philenews.com |language=en-US}} UNFICYP, citing its duty to maintain the status quo, stated its intentions to halt and stop the road construction through peaceful means. Footage that reached media outlets and social media reflects UN jeeps blocking the construction site of the road with Turkish construction vehicle operators removing the vehicles forcefully.{{cite web | url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CwFewQNszYA/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== | title=Instagram }} This assault on the UN forces drew international condemnation from Greece, France, the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom.{{Cite web |title=Καταδικάζει τις επιθέσεις στην Πύλα η Πρόεδρος του Ευρωκοινοβουλίου {{!}} AlphaNews.Live |url=https://www.alphanews.live/politics/katadikazei-tis-epitheseis-stin-pyla-i-proedros-toy-eyrokoinoboylioy |access-date=2023-08-18 |website=www.alphanews.live |date=18 August 2023 |language=el}}{{Cite web |title=Καταδικάζει η ΕΕ: Τηλεφώνησε στον Κόμπο μετά τα επεισόδια στην Πύλα ο Μπορέλ {{!}} AlphaNews.Live |url=https://www.alphanews.live/politics/katadikazei-i-ee-tilefonise-ston-kompo-meta-ta-epeisodia-stin-pyla-o-mporel |access-date=2023-08-18 |website=www.alphanews.live |date=18 August 2023 |language=el}} Criticism from UN and Cypriot authorities stated that the construction would have negative repercussions on the stagnant negotiations to resolve the island's division.{{cite web | url=https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/08/18/un-to-halt-road-construction-encroaching-on-buffer-zone-in-cyprus/?amp | title=UN to Halt Road Construction Encroaching on Buffer Zone in Cyprus | date=18 August 2023 }} Three peacekeepers were seriously injured and required hospitalisation.{{cite news|title=UN peacekeepers hurt in Cyprus buffer zone clash with Turkish forces|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/un-peacekeepers-hurt-cyprus-buffer-zone-clash-with-turkish-forces-2023-08-18/|publisher=reuters|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230819052943/https://www.reuters.com/world/un-peacekeepers-hurt-cyprus-buffer-zone-clash-with-turkish-forces-2023-08-18/|archive-date=19 August 2023}} The Turkish president accused the UN force of bias against Turkish Cypriots and added that Turkey will not allow any “unlawful” behavior toward Turks on Cyprus.{{cite news|title=Erdoğan slams UN peacekeepers for blocking road project in Turkish Cyprus|url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogan-slams-un-peacekeepers-for-blocking-road-project-in-turkish-cyprus-185673|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230822080859/https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogan-slams-un-peacekeepers-for-blocking-road-project-in-turkish-cyprus-185673|archive-date=22 August 2023}} The U.N. Security Council said that the incident was a violation of the status quo that is contrary to council resolutions and condemned the assault on the peacekeepers. The U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said that “threats to the safety of U.N. peacekeepers and damage to U.N. property are unacceptable and may constitute serious crimes under international law."{{cite news|title=U.N. calls unauthorized construction by Turkish Cypriots a violation of the status quo on Cyprus|url=https://apnews.com/article/turkey-cyprus-un-peacekeepers-erdogan-de766e37a742f6ecb51752ec7b6f9619|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230822081952/https://apnews.com/article/turkey-cyprus-un-peacekeepers-erdogan-de766e37a742f6ecb51752ec7b6f9619|archive-date=22 August 2023}}
On October 9, 2023, both the Turkish side and UNFICYP announced that they have reached an agreement and, further, Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu stated that the construction of the road will continue.{{Cite web |title=Türkiye hails UN-TRNC agreement on construction of Yigitler-Pile road |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/turkiye-hails-un-trnc-agreement-on-construction-of-yigitler-pile-road/3013536 |access-date=2023-10-10 |website=www.aa.com.tr}}{{Cite web |date=2023-10-09 |title=UN mission announces deal on Turkish Cypriot road construction |url=https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/un-mission-announces-deal-on-turkish-cypriot-road-construction/news |access-date=2023-10-10 |website=Daily Sabah}}
Famous people from Pyla
References
{{Commons category|Pyla, Cyprus}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Larnaca District}}
{{Authority control}}