Maybe in the global list of the great lost treasures, being hunted for centuries until today, the treasure of Rigena, the mysterious Lady of Cyprus, should be added. Rigena is the most known and most mysterious image of the legends and traditions of Cyprus. She is often “found” in every part of the island, in ancient and medieval buildings, in beautiful locations, caves and ruins, springs and rivers, churches and chapels, mountains and plains and in hidden treasures ... to be discovered.
Her origin is medieval and goes back to the Frankish period. People never referred to the Lusignan monarchs as kings. They were called Riges and Rigenas (which again means kings and queens). But in the people’s consciousness, the difference was substantial: king was always the emperor of Constantinople.
Rigena was beautiful, very rich and has hidden treasures which many have tried to find before, but to no result.
In various parts of Cyprus there are towers of Rigena (Pissouri & Anoyira) while all Cypriot villages having the name Tower (Pyrgos) are related according to local traditions, to towers belonged to Rigena and do not exist today. The Kolossi tower, also belonged to Rigena. Local tradition says that the king promised Rigena to offer her such extent of land as much as she could see. Then she built the tall tower, from where she could see the whole region. Castles of Rigena (instead of towers) have existed in Fasoula village.
Her baths were in Amiantos village, her plains at Polemi & Akapnou. Some buried treasures were in Mandria, in Ayios Tychonas, in Dierona, in Pelendri and Episkopi.
In Akapnou village, Rigena had built a palace. Tradition says that she was there on vacation when the enemy landed in Limassol. During her getaway (and after the treasure was buried in an unknown place), Rigena fell from her horse and got killed. The treasure is still waiting for the lucky one who will look for it.
Local tradition says that when Rigena used to live in Anoyira, one of her sons fell in the orchard pit and got killed. Rigena, inconsolable, collected all of her belongings (utensils, jewelry, money and whatever else she had) and threw them in the pit. She covered it with earth, and left never to return again.
From Elena Constantinou
* NOTE: The tributes of the Project "History of Limassol" present information that has emerged from historical research thus far. Any new data is embedded into the tributes, once it has been confirmed.
