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Tala, (*)

Tala (Greek : Τάλα ) is a large suburban village 6 km away from the city center of Paphos, Cyprus. Many foregners (mostly British) have moved here permanently or have a summer home in Tala. Ayios Neofytos Monastery is 1 km north.

Tala is the ancestral village of the singer Cat Stevens. His father, Stavros Georgiou, was born here in 1900.

In his book 'Historic Cyprus' (second edition 1947), Rupert Gunnis (at that time Inspector of Antiquities on the island) wrote:

"The Church of St. Catherine is a large and well-built edifice in the Byzantine style, with a central dome. The narthex has been added later. A year ago or so two completely unnecessary doors were pierced in the south wall. There are considerable remains of frescoes on the west wall, more especially of the Judgement, and also three heads of animals with water gushing from their mouths, representing the sources of three rivers, perhaps the Jordan, Tigris, and Euphrates. The Gospels and church plate are Russian. About a mile from the village are the ruins of a large church dedicated to St. George. Founders' tombs remain on the north and south walls, with traces of painting in their arches."