The river Pedieos is the biggest river in Cyprus. Its sources are found on the mountain range of Troodos, in the National Forest park of Machairas and on the northwest slope of the Kionia mountain peak.
After rain fills its bed, the water ends up initially in the Tamassos dam, after it passes from the ancient settlement of Kampia. When it fills the dam, the water continues its journey through the villages and towns such as Politiko, Pera, Episkopio, Ergates, Psimolofou, Lakatamia and Nicosia.
From there on it passes to the occupied part of Nicosia and then it follows a journey going east, it crosses the plain of Mesaoria and it flows into the gulf of Ammochostos (Famagusta) a few hundreds of metres from ancient Salamis.
The river, ever since ancient times, was proof of the Hellenicity of the island due to its name. From the very beginning it was called “Idei - Eos” which in ancient Greek means “the one who see the east” and the river follows the journey of the goddess Anatoli Ious (East Ious) from the mountains of Machairas, until Salamis, covering a distance of 95 kilometres.
At some points of the riverbed community and municipal parks have been created, as well as lakes and the Tamassos dam.
In the old days, when the town of Nicosia was still in its fortifications, the river was used to fill the great trench that surrounded the medieval walls of the capital with water, transforming it to an impregnable fortress. Pedieos is also found with the names “Pidias” or “Pithkias”.
