Where to go to spend the precious days of your well-deserved vacation - the question is always relevant. Our planet has so many wonderful places, but, unfortunately, there is no time and money to travel around them all. When choosing a beach holiday, you should pay attention to the popular city of Paphos, which belongs to Cyprus.
Paphos has earned a reputation as the most popular Cypriot resort, so almost every tourist dreams of relaxing on its territory! After all, it’s not for nothing that he has such a “pathetic” name. The resort is great for both beachy family vacations and active travelers looking to find adventure and discover new places.
The historical sights of Paphos are valuable architectural monuments. In architectural structures one can find a reflection of the Greco-Roman dynasty: all these buildings, including medieval castles and Christian monasteries, will definitely please the eye of a tourist. Let's take a closer look at the mainthe sights of Paphos and what to see on your own in this wonderful city.
Archaeological Park
An important local landmark is considered to be the archaeological park of Paphos. If you rested on the territory of the resort, but did not look into this place - there is no forgiveness for you! What is an archaeological park? First of all, this is a full-fledged open-air museum, which presents a well-preserved mosaic with subjects of ancient mythology, buildings of the Roman era of the 3rd-5th centuries. But the most important thing is that the ancient city of Nea Paphos and the medieval fort of Saranta Kolones were located on this place.
Villa of Dionysus
At first glance, this is an ordinary luxury apartment that once belonged to a we althy Roman aristocrat. The very name of the villa comes from the fact that inside the building there is a mosaic called “The Triumph of Dionysus”. On it, as noted by many visitors to this place, the Greek god of winemaking is clearly depicted, sitting on a chariot. The Villa of Dionysus is located on the territory of the archaeological park, so everyone who has planned this route for themselves, this object is a must-see.
Castle Saranta Kolones
Earlier, this building served as a fortress to protect the city from the claims of the Arab conquerors. At that time, and it was the 7th century, the building was part of a system of powerful defensive fortifications. After the knights of the Order of St. John settled in this territory, the building underwent repeated changes, both fromoutside as well as outside. Ultimately, in 1222, one of the strongest earthquakes was recorded in this region, as a result of which Saranta Kolones Castle was completely destroyed. Today, tourists can only observe the ruins that have survived to this day.
Odeon Theater
Amphitheatres! Isn't that what the ancient Greeks and Romans were famous for? The ancient amphitheater, founded in the II century, at least partially, but nevertheless, is ready to appear before tourists to this day. Due to its design features, the Odeon Theater has been perfectly preserved, because it was almost completely carved out of a monolithic rock. This factor also explains the resistance of the building to earthquakes and other natural disasters. In 1973, the Odeon was discovered during excavations, and since then it has served not only as an important landmark of Paphos, but also as a public place for various festivals and concerts.
What to see from the sights in Cyprus in Paphos?
As we have already said, in Paphos to this day there are a lot of examples of defensive structures of that time. The 13th-century Paphos Castle is no exception, which at the same time was not only a prison, but also a warehouse. Starting from the moment the building was built and until 1570, the fortification existed and functioned perfectly, but later it was given to the Venetians to be torn to pieces. After the territory of Cyprus went under the control of Turkey, the castle was again restored and fortified. Since 1935, Paphos Castle has served as a local landmark andworld historical monument. In their comments, travelers note the simplicity and grandeur of the structure.
Royal Tombs
Another important attraction of Paphos in Cyprus can be considered the royal tombs. This is a whole underground acropolis carved out of rock. Once upon a time, it served as a burial place for aristocrats and senior officials. Here you can find graves dating back to the 4th century BC. e. The interior of the tomb is no less impressive, according to travelers. There are decorations in the form of columns and frescoes, and some crypts are made in the form of full-fledged houses. According to the first historical references, the first people who took the side of Christianity once hid here from oppression.
Catacombs of Saint Solomon
Another impressive tomb to visit in Paphos is the Catacombs of Saint Solomon. Their first appearance is recorded in the IV century BC. e., initially the catacombs were used as a burial place, but later they suffered the same account as the Royal Tombs, where Christians hid from persecution. The catacombs were named after Saint Solomon, who fled from Palestine with her sons and hid here for a long time. The authorities killed her children right in front of her eyes, and she herself died while praying over their bodies. It is generally accepted that the relics of the saint are in one of the grottoes of the catacombs.
Monastery of St. Neophyte
The monastery was founded in the XII century by a wandering monk Neophyte the Recluse. It should be noted right away that the monastery is not located within the city, but approximately at a distance of 10 kilometers from Paphos. When the Turks conquered Cyprus, the monastery was completely plundered, which led to its decline. It was not until the middle of the 18th century that a gradual objection to this religious place began. Nowadays, it is a center of pilgrimage and a popular tourist attraction in the city, as the walls of the monastery contain the relics of the saint, discovered back in 1756.
Museums
What to see and what sights of Paphos are still not covered in our article? I would like to pay special attention to a wide variety of museums located on the territory of the city: the Archaeological, Byzantine and Ethnographic Museums. Each of these representatives is unique and interesting in its own way.
The exposition of the Archaeological Museum is based on finds discovered during excavations in the area of Marion, Lempe and New Paphos. Here are a variety of stone sculptures, ceramic dishes and other ancient artifacts.
The collection of the Byzantine Museum directly consists of valuable Orthodox icons, frescoes and iconostases, previously stored in the already destroyed churches of Paphos.
The last museum shows tourists the private collection of the Eliadis family: antique furniture, ceramics, interior items and much more.
Bird and Animal Park
If you have already visited all the local attractions of Paphos and do not know what to do in the near future, then go to the bird and animal park! The local zoo is a former private collectionornithologist K. Christofor, who kept exotic animals at home for a long time.
According to many travelers, the zoo is a Paphos attraction for self-examination. The park gradually grew and expanded, and today it is one of the main city locations with a high tourist traffic. On the territory of the park there are not only birds, but also tigers, crocodiles and other predatory animals.
Conclusion
Now have you seen why the city of Paphos is so popular among tourists? Many vacationers in Cyprus say that Paphos is an open-air resort area with a huge historical heritage.
