This luxurious mansion belonged to the Sultan's dragoman in Cyprus. The dragoman collected taxes and duties and was a very wealthy man who enjoyed respect among the residents, the authorities, and the clergy.
They say he never took bribes at all and did not abuse his official position; however, because of his line of work, he often became the target of attacks from people unhappy with the new taxes. By contrast, his deputy, who took the place of tax collector after Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios left for Constantinople, was actively involved in some shady dealings of his own. As a result, all the accusations fell on Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios himself, and the Turks executed him.
The luxurious mansion was first inherited by his children and grandchildren, until the last owner of the house, Yulia Piki, died. In 1979, according to the wishes of the former owner, part of the house, together with the furniture and interior items, became the property of the Cypriot Archbishopric, while the other part passed to the Department of Antiquities.
The mansion was built at the end of the 18th century on the site of another, older building. During the lifetime of Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios, it was used not only as a residence but also as a workspace, for business meetings with representatives of the authorities and the clergy. It has a great many rooms, and the household quarters where the servants lived and worked have also been preserved. The owners' part of the house is decorated not only with beautiful carpets and expensive furniture, but also with paintings on the walls and ceilings.
