The port of Kato Paphos
Today Paphos, with a population of about 47.300 (end of 2001), is
a popular sea and a fast developing tourist resort, home to an
attractive fishing harbour. It is divided into two major quarters
- Ktima, on the sea terrace, is the main residential district, and
Kato Pafos, by the sea, is built around the mediaeval port and
contains most of the luxury hotels and the entertainment
infrastructure of the city. The harbours of Paphos are not so
important: the normal shipping goes via the harbour of Limassol.
Just as is the marina of Paphos for fishing and other kinds of
interest.
Interesting sites
The Castle of Paphos
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The Castle of PaphosAt the
harbour, there is the Castle of Paphos, originally built as a
Byzantine fort to protect the harbour and rebuilt by the Lusignans
in the 13th century, then dismantled by the Venetians in 1570, who
found themselves unable to defend it against the Ottomans, who in
their turn restored and strengthened it after they captured the
island. Saranta Kolones, Kato Paphos, near the harbour is castle
was built in the first years of the rule of the Lusignans
(beginning of 12th century) maybe on the site of a previous
Byzantine Castle. It was destroyed in the earthquake of 1222.
Cyprus in the World Cultural Heritage List
The legacy from its remarkable history adds up to nothing less
than an open museum, so much so that UNESCO simply added the whole
town to its World Cultural Heritage List. Among the treasures
unearthed, are the remarkable mosaics in the Houses of Dionysos,
Theseus and Aion, beautifully preserved after 16 centuries under
the soil. Then there are the mysterious vaults and caves, the
Tombs of the Kings, the Pillar to which Saint Paul was allegedly
tied and whipped, the ancient Odeon Theatre and other places of
interest including the Byzantine Museum and the District
Archaeological Museum, with its attractive collection of Cypriot
antiquities from the Pafos area, dating from the Neolithic Age to
1700 AD. Near Odeon, there are the remains of the ancient city
walls, the Roman Agora and a building dedicated to Asklipeios, god
of medicine.
The mosaic floors of these noblemen's villas dating from the 3rd
to the 5th century AD are considered among the finest in the
Eastern Mediterranean. They mainly depict scenes from Greek
mythology.
The city contains many catacomb sites dating back to the early
Christian period. The most famous is Saint Solomoni Church,
originally a Christian catacomb retaining some of the l2th century
frescoes. A sacred tree at the entrance is believed to cure the
ailments of those who hang a personal offering on its branches.
Petra tou Romiou
A few miles outside the city, the rock of Aphrodite (Petra tou
Romiou) emerges from the sea. According to legend, Aphrodite,
goddess of love and beauty, rose from the waves in this strikingly
beautiful spot. The Greek name, Petra tou Romiou (The Rock of the
Greek), is associated with the legendary frontier-guard of
Byzantine times, Digenis Acritas, who kept the marauding Saracens
at bay. It is said in one such fight he heaved a large rock
(Petra), at his enemy.
Near Petra tou Romiou, there is Palaepaphos, Old Paphos, one of
the most celebrated places of pilgrimage of the ancient Greek
world, and once an ancient city kingdom of Cyprus. Here are the
ruins of the famous Temple of Aphrodite, the most ancient remains,
go back to the 12th century BC. The temple was one of the most
important places of cult and pilgrimage of the ancient world, till
the 3rd-4th century A.D. The Museum, housed in the Lusignan Manor,
is small but impressive with many finds from the area.
Agia Paraskevi church in Yeroskipou
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Agia Paraskevi church in Yeroskipou
Geroskipou with its remarkable five-domed Byzantine church of Agia
Paraskevi, and its Folk Art Museum is a town in Paphos
metropolitan area known for many years now for its special delight
`loukoumi'.
Agios Neophytos Monastery, famous for its `Encleistra', Enclosure,
carved out of the mountain by the hermit himself, boasts some of
the finest Byzantine frescoes of the l2th and l5th centuries.
Paphos Sports
The most successful team of Paphos, is the volley ball club of the
town, Pafiakos, which has been Champion of Cyprus three times
(last in 2006).Dionysos, a volley ball team from Stroumbi, a
village of Paphos, plays in First Division as well. Both teams use
the indoor Aphrodite Stadium. The football club in Paphos is AEP
Paphos, a team founded in 2000, was traditionally in Cypriot First
Division, however this year plays in Second Division. The team
plays in the football stadium of the town, Pafiako.
Paphos History
Paphos has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. It was
founded by King Kinyras in 1400 BC. It was a centre of the cult of
Aphrodite and of pre-Hellenic fertility deities. Aphrodite's
legendary birthplace was on this island, where her temple was
erected by the Mycenaean's in the 12th century BC. The remains of
villas, palaces, theatres, fortresses and tombs mean that the site
is of exceptional architectural and historic value. The mosaics of
Nea Paphos are among the most beautiful in the world.
The port of Paphos was built by Nicocles, the last king of Paphos,
at the time of Alexander the Great. It became the capital of the
island replacing Salamis during the Hellenistic, under the
successors of Alexander the Great - the Ptolemies and in those
days its harbour was a busy, thriving port. Period as its masters,
the Ptolemies, favoured a location closer to their capital,
Alexandria. It continued as the island's first city for more than
seven centuries, retaining its importance under Roman rule here
that Apostle Paul converted the Roman Governor of the time,
Sergius Paulus, to Christianity. The Romans retained Pafos as the
seat of the Roman Governor. But Paphos history dates back a great
deal further. In fact the whole area abounds in historical and
archaeological treasure.
Despite its vulnerability to foreign incursions and raids, the
city survived through the centuries, retaining an indefinable,
legendary charm through the ages. It even survived the devastating
earthquake in the 4th century AD.
Paphos, however, was gradually losing much of its attraction as an
administrative centre, especially after the Nicosia. The city and
its port continued to decline throughout the Middle Ages and
Ottoman Rule, as Nicosia, and the port cities of Larnaka and
Famagusta were gaining in importance.
The city and district continued to lose population throughout the
British colonial period and many of its inhabitants moved to
Limassol, Nicosia and overseas. The city and district of Paphos
had remained the most underdeveloped part of the island until
1974.
The Turkish invasion and occupation of the major tourist resorts
of Kyrenia and Famagusta led to major investments by the
government and the private sector in the district of Paphos. There
was rapid economic activity in all fields but especially tourism
and the district's population stopped shrinking and indeed showed
some signs of increasing. The government invested heavily in
irrigation dams and water distribution works, road infrastructure
and the building of Paphos International Airport - the second
international airport in Cyprus - while private initiative
concentrated in hotel, apartment and villa construction and the
entertainment infrastructure.