Historic Sites of Cyprus

Cyprus’ history is so diverse, with historic sites ranging from Neolithic Villages to Roman Ruins and Medieval Castles. In the prehistoric period of Cyprus the island was shaped by many different cultures; such as, the Pharaohs of Egypt to the south, the Mesopotamian kingdoms to the east, the Hittite empire to the north and the Minoan and Mycenaean cultures of the west. These cultures all influenced different aspects of this beautiful country’s history.

Amathus is a historic site that contains the remains of one of the islands oldest ancient towns. The site has been inhabited since at least 1050 BC, but the origins are unclear. It is believed that the Eteocypriot’ originally founded the site. Amathus played host to many civilisations including the Greeks, the Phoenicians, the Persians, the Ptolemies and the Romans. Evidence shows that Amathus was abandoned in the late seventeenth century. The cult of Aphrodite and the legend of Ariadne are largely associated with Amathus. In present day, the ruins of Amathus consists of several ancient sites, these include tombs, an acropolis with a first century AD Roman temple to Aphrodite, an agora with some public baths and the remains of the eighth century BC palace of Amathus.

Choirokoitia, Larnaca, is a prehistoric agricultural settlement (7000 BC), which is the first archaeological sight of human inhabitants on the island. In 1998, UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage site. Choirokoitia is one of the most important prehistoric sites in neolithic history in the eastern Mediterranean, playing a significant part in the agricultural development of the area. It demonstrates the expansion of Neolithic culture with an island environment. When visiting Choirokoitia you are able to see the remains of the ancient site and reconstructions of the circular huts.

The Church of Agios Lazaros, Larnaca is a church from the Byzantine era. It was built in the 10th century AD on top of the believed tomb of Saint Lazaros. It is said that Saint Lazaros was resurrected by Jesus. He fled to Cyprus and then became ordained as a Bishop. During the Ottoman occupation of Cyprus it was used as a mosque and then reverted back to a church. Over the years it has fallen victim to a lot of damage including a fire, but has since been restored. When visiting you are able to enter the Church of Agios Lazaros crypt to see the reckoned tomb along with many others buried there.

I hope this information has been helpful about the many historic sites within Cyprus. For more information about any of these historic sites please contact us at:

http://www.cypruspropertyvillas.com