Month: November 2015

Located 38km northeast of Pafos (Paphos), Agia Moni Monastery is linked to the very origins of monasticism in Cyprus.

According to tradition, the monastery was founded around 300 AD by Agios Nikolaos and Agios Eftychios as a place of prayer and contemplation. A sacred relic – which had been given to Agios Nikolaos – and a piece of the cloak of the Virgin Mary were kept at the monastery until 1754.

Located in Letymvou village, 16km northeast of Pafos (Paphos), the church of Agios Kirykos and Agia Ioulitti is a cross-in-square domed church dating to the 12th century, with many later additions – especially from the 15th century. It has a few surviving fragments of frescoes dating to the 12th and 15th centuries.

Located in Polis Chrysochous sub-district, this 16th century vaulted church was turned into a mosque during the Ottoman period. A northern annex was added to it and the 16th century frescoes were covered up, but these have now been uncovered and preserved.

Located in Kato Pafos (Paphos), the Panagia Chrysopolitissa Church was built in the 13th century over the ruins of the largest Early Byzantine basilica on the island. Within the compound is St. Paul’s Pillar, where according to tradition, Saint Paul was flogged before the Roman governor Sergius Paulus was converted to Christianity.

The church was originally seven-aisled, but was later reduced to five aisles. The floor of the basilica was covered with colourful mosaics, some of which are still preserved.

The famous ‘Tombs of the Kings’ form part of the Archaeological Park of Kato Pafos (Paphos) – one of the most important archaeological sites of Cyprus that has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list since 1980.

The monumental underground tombs are carved out of solid rock and date back to the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

Rather than kings, it is actually high ranking officials and aristocracy that were buried here, but the size and splendour of the tombs – some decorated with Doric pillars – gave the locality its grand name.

Some of the tombs imitate the houses of the living, with the burial chambers opening onto a peristyle atrium. They are similar to tombs found in Alexandria, demonstrating the close relations between the two cities during the Hellenistic period.

The site links with the Aphrodite Cultural Route.

Tombs of the Kings – Audio Guide 

The Byzantine castle known as Saranta Kolones (Forty Columns) is located just north of Pafos (Paphos) Harbour, and takes its name from the large number of granite columns that were found on the site and probably once formed part of the ancient agora.

The castle is believed to have been built at the end of the 7th century AD to protect the port and the city of Nea Pafos from Arab raids, and was later remodelled by the Lusignans.

A three-metre thick wall with eight towers and a moat surrounded the castle. Access was across a wooden bridge spanning the moat. The square courtyard measured 35 metres long by 35 metres wide, with a tower at each corner. The main entrance was through a fifth, horseshoe-shaped tower on the east side.

Destroyed by an earthquake in 1223, the castle was subsequently abandoned.

The archaeological site of Palaipafos (‘old Pafos’ in Greek) is located in Kouklia Village and was one of the most important city-kingdoms of Cyprus, as well as the first Cypriot site to be included in the World Heritage List of UNESCO in 1980.

The Sanctuary of Aphrodite is the most famous of the Ancient Greek Goddess’ sanctuaries, and its ancient remains date back to the 12th century BC, whilst it remained a place of worship until the 3rd – 4th centuries AD.

There are two versions of how Palaipafos was founded; one story tells that Agapenor, the King of Tegea (Peloponesus), founded the city-kingdom on his way back from the Trojan War. A second legend tells that Kinyras, the local legendary king (12th century) was the founder and first High Priest of The Sanctuary of Aphrodite.

The museum, housed in a Lusignan Manor, exhibits many interesting finds from the area and portrays how the Cult of the Goddess of Fertility developed into the Cult of Aphrodite.

The site is linked to the Aphrodite Cultural Route.

Aphrodite’s mythical birthplace ‘Petra tou Romiou’ is an interesting geological formation of huge rocks along one of the most beautiful coastlines on the island, located on the southwest coast of the Pafos (Paphos) district.

According to the legend, the Ancient Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty – Aphrodite – was born of the sea foam here. Legend tells that she rose from the waves and was escorted on a shell to this particular beach.

The giant rock formations, which are seen at the same location are linked with another – more recent – legend which tells that the Byzantine hero Digenis Akritas heaved them there to keep the Saracens Arabs (7th-10th centuries) at bay. The name of Petra tou Romiou (‘rock of the Greek’ in Greek) comes from the hero.

It is said that in certain weather conditions, the waves rise, break and form a column of water that dissolves into a pillar of foam. With imagination, this momentarily looks like an ephemeral, evanescent human shape. Other popular myths tell that swimming around the rock three times will bring various blessings, including eternal youth and beauty, good luck, fertility and true love.

The site is linked to the Aphrodite Cultural Route.

Petra tou Romiou – Audio Guide