Vasilis Michaelides, the Poet
A poorhouse, a grandmother's memory, a beggar's tip and a court order.
Listen to this place’s story in Peplos.
How the story begins
The national poet of Cyprus is missing. This bust went up outside the library named after him in 2017, but nobody can say where the man himself lies. By 1915 Vasilis Michaelides was in the poorhouse, where he wrote The Dream of the Greek. He also wrote a lament for the town's mayor, Christodoulos Sozos, who was killed in the Balkan War and never found. It ends with an apology: forgive me, I do not know your grave, to come and weep there.
The rest is in the app. Peplos plays the full story when you reach the place. You can also listen ahead of time.
Visiting
Forecourt of the Vasilis Michaelides University Library, Cyprus University of Technology, 1 Nikolaou Xiouta Street. About 450 metres from Limassol Castle. Check the library’s hours before you go. The cemetery itself is not part of this stop.
On the way
Sources
- Cyprus Mail, Johanna Pauls, 10 July 2026: Fresh search begins for poet's remains
- Cyprus Mail, 29 September 2025: Capturing the struggles, hopes and identity of a nation
- Greek News Agenda: Vasilis Michaelides, a tribute to the national poet of Cyprus
- Wikipedia: Vasilis Michaelides
- Andreas Kapandreou, 2017: Michaelides' poem for Christodoulos Sozos, with text
- Sigmalive, 3 November 2017: Bust of Vasilis Michaelides at TEPAK
- Dialogos, 10 July 2026: Twist in the search for Vasilis Michaelides, skeleton and finds give hope
This text was written by AI from open sources. An expert will still check it. Found a mistake? Write to us. Support
