Category Archives: National Guard

General Evaggelos Florakis (Ευάγγελος Φλωράκης) statue

Artist: Nikolaos Kotziamanis

Location: General Headquarters of the National Guard, Lemesou Avenue, Aglandjia. Nicosia district

Category: National Guard

Photography: Evangelia Matthopoulou

The initiative for the statue was taken in 2003 by the Pan-Cypriot Association of Reservist Commandos, and the Greek Cypriot Association of Reservist Commandos in England. The unveiling took place on October 2^nd 2004 in front of the Military Police premises, at Archbishop Makarios III Avenue (Aglandjia) where the statue was initially placed. In 2011, following the abandonment of Military Police premises, the statue was transferred to General Headquarters of the National Guard.

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Memorial to Evaggelos Florakis (Ευάγγελος Φλωράκης) and the National Guard officers

Artist: Nikos Kouroussis

Location: National Guard Headquarters, Lemesou Avenue, Aglandjia. Nicosia district

Category: National Guard, Modern sculpture

Photography: Evangelia Matthopoulou

The memorial is dedicated to the five military officers who died on July 10^th 2002 in the Bell 206 helicopter crash at Kouklia, Pafos district. The initiative for the memorial was taken in 2004 by the Committee of Police Officers’ Co-operative Bank of Cyprus. The unveiling took place on July 11^th 2005.

Selected sources:
~ Αρχείο Συμβουλευτικής Επιτροπής Μνημείων Υπουργείου Παιδείας & Πολιτισμού (Advisory Monuments’ Committee) 14.3.01/6, document September 17, 2003; competition call document; Meeting Minutes January 26, 2004.
~ Αρχείο Συμβουλευτικής Επιτροπής Μνημείων Υπουργείου Παιδείας & Πολιτισμού (Advisory Monuments’ Committee) 14.3.01/7, document February 26, 2004.

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Thanos Georgiou Kleovoulou (Θάνος Γεωργίου Κλεοβούλου) bust

Artist: Christos Symeonidis Chrisimos

Location: Village Park, Mandria. Limassol district

Dimensions: 124 cm (+ 17 cm the step) x 42 cm x 33 cm

Category: National Guard

Photography: Evangelia Matthopoulou

The bust was made in 2006. The unveiling took place on June 29^th 2008.

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Memorial to the dead and to Nikitari Mother

Artist: Christos Symeonidis Chrisimos

Material: Bronze (the busts and the medals)

Location: Nikitari village. Nicosia village

Dimensions: 136 cm x 40 cm x 305 cm (Spyrou bust). 115 cm (+81 cm the pedestal)

55 cm x 44~74 cm (the bust of the mother)

Category: War Volunteers, Turkish Invasion, National Guard, EOKA 1955-59, Cypriot Women

Photography: Evangelia Matthopoulou

The memorial was initially intended to commemorate only Kostas Spyrou who was killed during the Turkish invasion in 1974. It was subsequently designed to pay respects to all those Nikitari fighters who have died since 1940, including the volunteers during the Second World War. Nevertheless, Spyrou is the only one to be commemorated with a bust.

The Mother’s bust was added in 2006. Under her feet is written: “Mother, lady of Nikitari, lady of freedom, you crown your children as heroes” («Μάνα, κυρά του Νικηταριού, κυρά της λευτεριάς, τα παιδιά σου ήρωες τιμάς»).

The female figure here intentionally keeps an ambiguous identity symbolizing simultaneously the concepts of both motherhood and motherland. Both identities aim to promote and underline the sacrificial nature of motherhood, and the women’s duty to serve and perpetuate the family and the nation.

The memorial was funded by a private ad hoc committee for the Nikitari memorial, the Community Committee, and the Nikitari expatriates union and friends. The unveiling took place on November 26^th 2006.

Selected sources:
~ Αρχείο Συμβουλευτικής Επιτροπής Μνημείων Υπουργείου Παιδείας & Πολιτισμού (Advisory Monuments’ Committee) 14.3.01/4, Meeting Minutes October 10, 2002.

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Fidias Symeonidis (Φειδίας Συμεωνίδης) and Tryfonas Tryfonas (Τρύφωνας Τρύφωνας) busts

Fidias Symeonidis Tryfonas Tryfonas

Artist: Christos Symeonidis Chrisimos

Location: Outside Lagoudera village. Nicosia district.

Dimensions for both busts: 131 cm x 40~58 cm x 30~49 cm

Category: EOKA 1955-59, National Guard, Turkish Invasion

Photography: Evangelia Matthopoulou

The initiative and the commission of Fidias Symenonidis’ bust were taken by his EOKA 1955-59 co-fighters in 1989. The bust was delivered in 2001.

The initiative for Tryfonas Tryfonas’ bust was taken by the General Staff of the National Guard in 1984, and the cost was covered through private and state funds. Tryfonas’ bust was delivered in 2002.

Adjacent to their busts a pedestal commemorates the two, listed as missing, Andreas K. Ioannou (Ανδρέας Π. Ιωάννου) and Panayiotis P. Chatzipanayioti (Παναγιώτης Π. Χ’’Παναγιώτη). The dove, symbol of peace and reassurance, nested in a crosswise arrangement of laurel branches, is a widespread symbolism of heroic sacrificial deeds in Cypriot memorials.

Selected sources:
~ Σημερινή (Simerini), January 19, 1984, p. 14.
~ Φιλελεύθερος (Fileleftheros), December 6, 1989, p. 15.

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Memorial to the National Guard Chief Officers – Helicopter crash

Artist: Philippos Yiapanis

Location: Diarizos river, at the spot where the helicopter crashed. Pafos district.

Category: National Guard

Photography: Evangelia Matthopoulou

The Bell 206 helicopter crashed on July 10^th 2002 killing five military passengers. The memorial is dedicated to the Lieutenant General Evaghelos Florakis (Ευάγγελος Φλωράκης) Chief of National Guard; to Stylianos Demenayas (Στυλιανός Δεμέναγας) ΔΑ/ΓΕΕΦ Commander; to Squadron Leader Paris Athanasiadis (Πάρις Αθανασιάδης); to Lieutenant Nikolas Georgiou (Νικόλας Γεωργίου); and to the First Lieutenant Michalis Siakallis (Μιχάλης Σιακαλλής).

The memorial was commissioned by the private committee for the Kouklia officers’ commemoration, the Kouklia Community, the Pan-Hellenic Special Forces Federation and the Commandos Cypriot Association. The unveiling took place on July 6^th 2003.

Selected sources:
~ Φιλελεύθερος (Fileleftheros), July 29, 2002, p. 10.
~ Αρχείο Δήμου Πάφου (Pafos Municipality Archive) 8.1991, document January 7, 2003.

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Memorial to the Polis Chrysochou dead

Γεώργιος Στυλιανού (5)n

Artists: Unknown (for Stylianou), Christos Symeonidis Chrisimos (for Rossidi)

Location: Apostle Andreas church yard at Polis Chrysochou. Pafos district.

Material: Marble

Dimensions: 155 cm x 36 cm (Stylianou’ bust), 136 cm x 40 cm (Rossidi’ bust)

Category: EOKA 1955-59, National Guard

Photography: Evangelia Matthopoulou

The memorial is dedicated to Georgios Stylianou (Γεώργιος Στυλιανού) and to Antonis Fivou Rossidi (Αντώνης Φοίβου Ρωσσίδη). Stylianou’ bust was commissioned in 1960 by the Greek Cypriots from Polis Chrysochou living in Darwin, Australia. According to sources the sculptor was from Athens, Greece.

Antonis Fivou Rossidi was member of the National Guard. His bust was commissioned in 2003. No further information on Rossidi’s commissioners is available.

Selected sources:
~ Φιλελεύθερος (Fileleftheros), October 27, 1960, p. 6.

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Paralimni dead and missing heroes’ memorial

Artist: Giorgos Kalakallas

Location: Paralimni Agios Georgios Park. Ammochostos district.

Category: EOKA 1955-59, Turkish Invasion, National Guard

Photography: Evangelia Matthopoulou

The monument was commissioned by the Paralimni Municipality. It is dedicated to the dead of EOKA 1955-1959 struggles, to the dead and missing of the Turkish invasion and to two more locals who were shot dead in August 1996. It was delivered in 2002 and the unveiling took place on October 12^th 2003.

On the brass lid of the well the poet Kyriakos Charalambidis wrote: “What you look at, stranger, is a memorial to the Paralimni dead who sacrificed their lives in order to feed their souls and irrigate love for their motherland, which offers in return resurrection as a gift” (Αυτό που βλέπεις το πηγάδι, ξένε των Παραλιμνιωτών είναι μνημείο που πρόσφεραν ζωή, ψυχή ν’ αρδέψουν κι έρωτα γης πατρώας, π’ αντιχαρίζει ανάσταση ως βάφει το γαλάζιο).

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