Bathed in greenery, Pelendri is one of the most beautiful villages of Cyprus. Its stone houses echo the traditional style, and the substantial church of Ayios loannis Lampadistis dominates the centre of the village.

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One of the larger Pitsilia villages, Pelendri perches on a mountain slope at a height of 880 metres above sea level. It is situated eight kilometres away from Agros village and 40 km from Limassol .

The village is set in striking surroundings that feature pine trees, myrtle and other bushes. Due to the high rainfall in the area it abounds in peach, apple, prune, almond and olive trees .

As part of the Pitsilia Integrated Development Scheme an earth water reservoir of 123.000 cubic metre capacity, built in 1980, provides irrigation for 71 hectares. Land consolidation undertaken by the scheme was the incentive that encouraged Pelendri inhabitants to stay in their village.

According to one version, the village took its name from a plant known as 'Felandrio', while another suggests that it emanated from the surname of a mediaeval family.
The mediaeval chronicler George Voustronios refers in his 'Chronicle' to the 'prastia' (farms) of Pelendri. In 1353 the village belonged to Jean de Lusignan, the son of King Hugo IV.

Pelendri is the home of the important 12th century Timios Stavros Church (Church of the Holy Cross), with icons characteristic of the time clearly showing the influence of the east. This unusual looking Byzantine church was faithfully restored by the Department of Antiquities, and occupies a deserving place as one of nine outstanding mountain churches included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

A third church in the village is that of Panayia Katholiki, featuring a timber roof and icons of Archangel Michael (St Michael).
Pelendri also has its own winery which serves the surrounding region.
Visitors to the village invariably fall for the magic of Pelendri's location, and many enjoy a peaceful stroll around the little streets with their stone-built houses and sloping roofs.

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