Sights in The Republic Of Cyprus
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Petra tou Romiou (Aphrodite's Rock & Beach)
Possibly the most famous and mythical beach in Cyprus, Aphrodite's Beach is most certainly one of the island's most beautiful. Driving along the old B6 road from Lemesos to Pafos (a highly recommended journey), you'll stop in awe as you see the vast indigo expanse of the Mediterranean beneath the intense blue of the cloudless summer sky, the white rock and the beach that curls around it. The view from the road is stunning. The two upright rocks look as if they might just walk out of the water.
Mysteriously, swimmers sit on top of them, making the less-acrobatic wonder how they've managed to climb all the way up. The sea here is cool and fresh, and the beach is wonderful f…
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Governor's Beach
Lemesos' tourist appeal starts 30km east of the city, at Governor's Beach. With a private bus serving the area from Lemesos, many decide to spend their day chilling out (or, more appropriately, baking) on the several coves of dark sand, contrasted by the white chalk cliffs behind them. There are a couple of restaurants here and at least one place to stay, though the overall ambience is slightly marred by the sight of the large Vasilikos power station looming 3km to the west.
Beach techno parties are frequent during the summer here, so keep an eye out for leaflets advertising such events across the island.
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Pafos Mosaics
This mesmerising collection of intricate and colourful mosaics in the southern sector of the Pafos archaeological site, immediately to the south of the Agora, is a pleasure to discover.
Found by accident during levelling operations in 1962, these exquisite mosaics decorated the extensive floor area of a large, wealthy residence from the Roman period. Subsequently named the House of Dionysus (because of the large number of mosaics featuring Dionysus, the god of wine), this complex is the largest and best known of the mosaic houses.
The most wonderful thing about the mosaics is that, apart from their artistic and aesthetic merits, each tells a story. In particular, many are …
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Venetian Walls
The Venetian Walls are like Lefkosia's logo. They form a border around the Old City that is so unique that when you see it once, on a map or from a high viewpoint, you'll never forget it. And that's partly to do with its odd shape: is it like a snowflake? A star? A hand grenade? Or a horizontally sliced artichoke?
Despite its impressive appearance, this circular defence wall that surrounds both the northern and southern halves of Old Lefkosia unfortunately failed in the purpose for which it was built. The Venetian rulers erected the walls between 1567 and 1570 with the express aim of keeping the feared Ottoman invaders out of Lefkosia. The appointed engineer Ascanio Savor…
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Ancient Kourion
Defiantly perched on the hillside overlooking the sea, Ancient Kourion is a spectacular site whether you're an archaeology lover or not. It attracts lots of visitors every day, so if you want to view it with a modicum of peace and quiet, come early in the morning or late in the afternoon, although buses with groups often arrive in the afternoons, when the really hot part of the day is done. If you wish to photograph the place, mornings and afternoons are better anyway.
Ancient Kourion is close to two other attractions in the immediate vicinity, the Sanctuary of Apollon Ylatis and Kolossi Castle. All three can be visited in the same day; as a cooling break, incorporate a s…
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Pafos Archaeological Site
Nea Pafos (New Pafos) is the name given to the sprawling Pafos Archaeological Site, which occupies the western segment of Kato Pafos. Nea Pafos is the ancient city of Pafos, which was founded in the late 4th century BC. Palea Pafos (Old Pafos) was in fact Kouklia, southeast of today's Pafos, and the site of the Sanctuary of Aphrodite.
At the time of Nea Pafos, Cyprus was part of the kingdom of the Ptolemies, the Graeco-Macedonian rulers of Egypt whose capital was Alexandria. The city became an important strategic outpost for the Ptolemies, and the settlement grew considerably over the next seven centuries.
The city was originally encircled by massive walls and occupied an …
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Agios Ionnis Lambadistis Monastery
The Unesco-listed Agios Ionnis Lambadistis Monastery is signposted from the long main street of Kalopanayiotis and is reached by following a road downwards and then upwards again at the opposite side of the valley. Built in the traditional Troödos style with a large barnlike roof, it is actually three churches in one, built side-on to one another over 400 years from the 11th century. The original Orthodox church has a double nave, to which has been added a narthex and a Latin chapel.
This composite church is one of the better preserved of the Troödos churches and has the most intricate and colourful frescoes. The best are the 13th-century works in the main domed Orthodox…
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Ancient Amathous
This archaeological site, 11km east of Lemesos, belies its original importance. Ancient Amathous was one of Cyprus' original four kingdoms (the others were Salamis, Pafos and Soloi). Legend has it that the city was founded by Kinyras, the son of Pafos. It is also said that Kinyras introduced the cult of Aphrodite to Cyprus.
Founded in about 1000 BC, the city had an unbroken history of settlement until about the 14th century AD, despite depredation at the hands of Corsairs during the 7th and 8th centuries. In 1191, when Richard the Lionheart appeared on the scene, the city was already on the decline. Since its harbour was silted up, King Richard was obliged to disembark on…
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Pierides Archaeological Foundation Museum
Dimitrios Pierides started his conservation efforts in 1839, as an attempt to salvage artefacts from notorious tomb raiders. Most famous among them was Luigi Palma di Cesnola, Larnaka's first US consul, who spirited away a large number of artefacts, which are now in New York's Metropolitan Museum. The collection was then expanded by Pierides' descendants, resulting in the well-coordinated Pierides Archaeological Foundation Museum, which is housed in Pierides' old residence, an elegant mansion.
The Pierides Archaeological Foundation Museum competes vigorously with the state-operated Archaeological Museum and features artefacts and finds from all over Cyprus, which have det…
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Tombs of the Kings
The Tombs of the Kings, a Unesco World Heritage site, is Pafos' main attraction. Two kilometres north of Kato Pafos, the site contains a set of well-preserved underground tombs and chambers used by residents of Nea Pafos from the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD, during the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Despite the name, the tombs were not actually used by royalty. Instead, they earned the title 'Tombs of the Kings' for their grand appearance and the Doric pillars that help support the structures. Members of the higher social classes were buried here.
The seven excavated tombs are scattered over a wide area and all are accessible to the public. The most impressive is …
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Cyprus Museum
This is the island's most interesting museum and houses the best collection of archaeological finds in Cyprus. The original building, erected in 1883, is opposite the lovely municipal gardens. It's a 10-minute walk west of Plateia Eleftherias.
Highlights include the remarkable display of terracotta figures in room 4, discovered in 1929 at Agia Irini, north of Morfou (Güzelyurt) in the North. The 2000 figures, dating back to the 7th to 6th centuries BC, are displayed as they were found, in a semicircular order. Apart from two female representations, the figures are male and many are warriors. Their war chariots indicate the worship of a warrior god, presumably a centaur or…
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Panagia tis Podythou & Panagia Theotokou (Arhangelou)
A less commonly visited Unesco-listed church (or rather duo of churches) is this rather charming pair, made up of Panagia tis Podythou and Panagia Theotokou (Arhangelou), a couple of kilometres north of Kakopetria (the signpost is easy to miss). The main church was established in 1502 by Dimitrios de Coron, a Greek military officer in the service of James II, the king of Cyprus at the time. Up to about the 1950s the building was occupied by monks.
The church itself is rectangular, with a semicircular apse at the eastern end. A portico, constructed at a later date, surrounds the church on three sides. Again, you'll see the characteristic pitched roof with flat tiles, and t…
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Ledra Palace Hotel Crossing
This is the only spot on the island reserved exclusively for pedestrian and bicycle crossings between the North and the South. Masses of tourists and locals now cross from one side to the other, and many cross in the middle of the night too, after a late night out.
The crossing is partially blocked by a blue-and-white painted wall with graphic posters depicting those missing since the 1974 invasion. There are also posters depicting the murder of three Greek Cypriots by Turkish soldiers near Deryneia in the eastern part of the island at a demonstration in 1996. On Sunday mornings Greek Cypriot women gather to remember the 1974 invasion and hand out literature to the accomp…
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Kolossi Castle
Less of a castle and more a fortified tower house, Kolossi Castle perches incongruously between the vineyards and houses of the village of the same name. It is an interesting reminder of the rule of the Knights of St John in the 13th century, who started producing wine and processing sugar cane at a commandery that stood on this land. The famous Cypriot wine, Commandaria, took its name from here.
However, the Mameluke raids of 1425-26 compromised the knights' prosperity and no doubt damaged the infrastructure. The current structure dates from 1454 and was probably built over the older fortified building. The castle is accessible by a short drawbridge that was originally d…
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Lemesos Medieval Castle
The city's most popular tourist attraction is Lemesos Medieval Castle, and its alluring gardens, on the west side of the Old City, are a shady haven in the summer heat. The structure, built in the 14th century over the remains of a Byzantine castle, has been used and plundered by many throughout Cyprus' exciting history. The Venetians vandalised it; the Ottomans gave it a face-lift for military use; and the Brits used it as a prison during their colonial rule. Inside is the Lemesos Medieval Museum, this building is an intriguing collection of vaults and air shafts, and its artefacts, transferred from the original Lefkosia Medieval Museum in 1974, are often fascinating.
Ac…
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Panagia Forviotissa (Asinou)
This beautiful Unesco-listed church on the perimeter of the Adelfi Forest, 10km northeast as the crow flies from Kakopetria, is easily accessible from Kakopetria or Lefkosia. The church has arguably the finest set of Byzantine frescoes in the Troödos and, if you feel that you have overdosed elsewhere, its calm rural setting makes for a delightful day out. A visit to the church could also be combined with a picnic in the adjoining forest.
The styles and motifs of the frescoed interior cross several artistic generations and are quite arresting. Most of the interior images date from the 14th and 15th centuries, and portray many themes found elsewhere in the Troödos Byzantin…
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Monastery of Agia Napa
The beautifully cloistered Monastery of Agia Napa is incongruously sited next to the pub-and-club centre of the adjoining Square. Best visited in the early morning, after the revellers have gone to bed, the monastery is an oasis of calm amid the crass commercialism of Agia Napa's entertainment scene.
Built in around 1570 by the Venetians, the monastery is named after the 'holy handkerchief' that was used by St Veronica to wipe the face of Jesus as he carried his cross to Calvary. It is a remarkably well-preserved monastery, and was indeed used as such up until 1790. Visitors enter from either the north or south side. Outside the south gate is a prominently labelled enormo…
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Holy Monastery of St Nicholas of the Cats
A wonderful and bizarre story lies behind the name of this place. The monastery and its original little church were founded in AD 327 by the first Byzantine governor of Cyprus, Kalokeros, and patronised by St Helena, mother of Constantine the Great. At the time, the Akrotiri Peninsula and indeed the whole of Cyprus was in the grip of a severe drought and was overrun with poisonous snakes, so building a monastery was fraught with practical difficulties.
A large shipment of cats was therefore brought in from Egypt and Palestine to combat the reptilian threat. A bell would call the cats to meals, and the furry warriors would then be dispatched to fight the snakes. A Venetian…
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Church of Agios Lazaros
The wonderful Church of Agios Lazaros owes its existence to a rather interesting story.
Tradition has it that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Immediately after this, Lazarus was expelled from Jerusalem by the Jews and came to Larnaka, where he was ordained as a bishop by St Barnabas. He reportedly remained a bishop for 30 years. After he died (for the second time) he was buried where the current church stands. His relics did not stay entombed for very long after their discovery in 890, as they were transported to Constantinople and subsequently removed to Marseille in 1204.
The church structure itself is a mix of Latinate and Orthodox influences, the most obvious examp…
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Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
Cyprus' past is full of stories of colonisers, raiders and armies generally coveting the small island's strategic position. So when Cyprus finally and belatedly received independence from colonial administration in 1960, Britain negotiated terms that saw the new Republic of Cyprus ceding 158 sq km (99 sq miles) of its territory to its former colonial master.
This territory, now known as the Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs), is used for military purposes by the British, who have a couple of well-established and solidly entrenched garrisons on the two SBAs in Cyprus. A large chunk of these areas occupies the Akrotiri Peninsula, immediately southwest of Lemesos, while the border …
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Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis
This church is the more easily accessible (with road signs) and interesting of the two Unesco-listed churches close to Kakopetria. Known as St Nicholas of the Roof in English, this tall, barnlike church, founded in the 11th century, was named for its large, heavy roof. The dome and narthex came later, and the characteristic Troödos pitched roof was added in the 15th century as protection against the heavy snows that sometimes fall in the area.
As in other Troödos churches, the art of icon and fresco painting flourished here in the Middle Ages, when Orthodoxy sought refuge from the then-dominant Latin church administration in Cyprus. The frescoes at Agios Nikolaos are the…
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Makarios Cultural Foundation
This complex of the Makarios Cultural Foundation consists of three main exhibition areas. The European Art Gallery presents 120 oil paintings of various European schools of art from the 16th to the 19th centuries. The themes are mainly religious with works by Van Dyck, Rubens, Tintoretto, Lorraine and Delacroix. There's a library that opens for research and reading.
Nearby is the Greek Independence War Gallery, which contains maps, copper engravings and paintings of people and events from the Greek War of Independence in 1821. The Byzantine Art Museum has the island's largest collection of icons related to Cyprus. There are some 220 pieces in the museum, dating from the 5…
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Hrysopolitissa Basilica
This fairly extensive site, which is still being excavated, was home to one of Pafos' largest religious structures. What's left are the foundations of a Christian basilica (built in the 4th century), which aptly demonstrate the size and magnificence of the original church; it was ultimately destroyed during Arab raids in 653. Green-marble columns from this church lie scattered around the site and mosaics from the church floor are still visible.
Further incarnations of the basilica were built over the years, leading to the present small Agia Kyriaki church. The overall area is loosely roped off, so you can't get a total picture of the remains.
What is visible on the western…
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House of Hatzigeorgakis Kornesios
The well-preserved House of Hatzigeorgakis Kornesios belonged to Kornesios, the Great Dragoman of Cyprus from 1779 to 1809. A dragoman (tercüman in Turkish) was an interpreter or liaison officer between the Ottoman and Orthodox authorities.
Kornesios, originally from Kritou Terra village, accumulated his vast wealth through various estates and tax exemptions, and became the most powerful man in Cyprus at the time. But, as you may guess, his extravagance was his undoing. A peasant revolt in 1804, aimed at the ruling classes in general, forced him out of Cyprus and to Istanbul. Returning from exile five years later, he was accused of treason, his property was confiscated, …
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Sanctuary of Apollon Ylatis
About 2km west of the main Kourion entrance and prominently signposted off the highway is the Sanctuary of Apollon Ylatis, which is part of the larger site of Kourion. The precinct was established in the 8th century BC in honour of Apollo, who was considered god of the woods (ylatis means 'of the woods' in Greek). The once woody site now has far less vegetation, but retains a good scattering of remains that give a reasonable idea of the layout of the original sanctuary.
The remnants that you see are Roman structures that were levelled by a large earthquake in AD 365. The main sanctuary has been partly restored; the beautiful, imposing standing columns mark the extent of t…
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