EOKA Museum, Chlorakas, Paphos
Chlorakas – between Paphos and Coral Bay – is famous as the landing site of Colonel George Grivas in 1954 at the start of his guerrilla campaign against the occupying British.
The beach where he came ashore is known as Dhigenis’ landing.
Near the landing site is a small museum dedicated to EOKA. Its centrepiece is a fishing trawler that returned George Grivas, the militant super Hellenist and military leader, to Cyprus after years of exile.
Grivas' boat - the Saint George - in the EOKA Museum, Chlorakas, Paphos
EOKA (Εθνική Οργάνωσις Κυπρίων Αγωνιστών or Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston (Greek for National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters) was a Greek Cypriot nationalist organisation that fought for the end of British rule of the island, for self-determination and for union with Greece.
Colonel George Grivas was the EOKA leader for the liberation of Cyprus during 1955 to 1959 before Cyprus was granted independence from British rule in 1960.
Grivas’ boat is now beautifully painted a shiny white with green trim, ironic because green is the Muslim colour. The second irony is the boat’s name – ‘Saint George’ – wonder what EOKA thought of that! It’s a long way from the storm-tossed, inconspicuous gun runner working fishing craft it once was.
Just outside the rear of the EOKA Musem and standing on the shoreline is a larger than life statue of Grivas in full military regalia, with the EOKA Memorial beyond.
The boat is about 13 metres long and 4 metres wide. In 1955 she dropped Grivas and five others on the coast near where the museum now stands. At that time, the area was both undeveloped and deserted.
The walls of the museum are covered with the history of the time and the trials of the EOKA fighters – in Greek and British versions are not allowed.
The EOKA Museum at Chlorakas is open everyday and admission is free.
Grivas’ boat is now beautifully painted a shiny white with green trim, ironic because green is the Muslim colour. The second irony is the boat’s name – ‘Saint George’ – wonder what EOKA thought of that! —This is very ironic but I think I must also mention that Saint George or Ayios Gergios was the first village in Cyprus in 1974 to be taken by the invading Turkish army!Green coulour– Agios Georgio — Grivas…!!!