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Paphos HistoryPaphos is a popular destination for tourists from around the world. The relics of Paphos, drawn from the Byzantine, Roman and Hellenistic periods, are amongst the most beautiful and interesting on the island. Especially of note to see are the mosaics of Paphos, located at Paphos harbour. The area experiences a slightly more temperate climate than the rest of Cyprus, with large banana plantations existing in the northern and western regions of Paphos. Although there is effectively no large industry per se operating within Paphos, the Paphos region includes the most extensive forested areas of the island, including Cedar Valley where moufflon to this day still roam its hills. The Akamas Peninsula provides a home to a very diverse list of animal and plant species, with its beach serving as a nesting ground for endangered sea turtles. The trails and paths throughout the area are quite popular with walkers and hikers, and a must-see for nature afficionados visiting the area. Please note that vehicular access throughout much of Akamas is not suitable for cars -- vehicles suitable for off-road use are needed to reach central areas. The Paphos area is forever associated with Aphrodite, the ancient goddess of love, for she was born in the southern coastal area by rocks jutting out from the sea. Aphrodite's Rock is located to the west of Paphos. This name collectively refers to a group of three large limestone pillars towering out of the sea at Petra Tou Romiou. According to mythology, it was there that Aphrodite, goddess of love, fertility and health, emerged from the sea in a chariot made from a seashell which was towed by dolphins to the shore. Among the trees neighbouring Petra Tou Romiou one will find scraps of fabric attached to the branches -- these are appeals from infertile women beseeching her assistance in having a child. Legend states that anyone swimming around the rock in the nude under a full moon will become one year younger for each completed lap. Legend also states that it was here that the goddess, following an evening of amorous attention from one of her lovers, bathed within the waters to regain her virginity. Further east of Aphrodite's Rock are Aphrodite Hills and Secret Valley. Both of these areas are nested into the hills overlooking the sea, and additionally each has its own golf course. Both of these developments comprise luxury villas and apartments within gated communities. Palepafos was the site of the first temple built for Aphrodite and was the oldest and most-powerful region in Cyprus in ancient times. Tradition holds that Agaperon, son of the King of Tegeia in Greek Arcadia, founded Palepafos. The Temple of Aphrodite was the shrine of highest importance in the world during these times. Modern archaeology has yielded evidence that another civilisation previously existed on the site, predating the Bronze Age. Legend has it that a local king and brilliant sculptor, Pygmalion, carved a statue of a woman of unbelievably beautiful woman which he fell madly in love with. The statue was transformed into a living person by Aphrodite who was moved by the depths of his devotion, and became his wife. Their resulting son bore the name which is now associated with the area, Paphos. Kinyras, priest of Aphrodite and ruler of the city, was the most famous early figure of Paphos, and was founder of the dynasty which ruled the Paphos area for hundreds of years. In the 12th century BC, towards the end of the Bronze Age, a large temple of worship was established devoted to the goddess. Unfortunately all that remain are some fragments of the walls and the foundations. An earthquake destroyed the sanctuary, which during the 1st century in Roman times was rebuilt. Within the temple the goddess was represented by a cone-shaped ebony stone, to symbolise fertility. Pilgrims from around the ancient world travelled to Paphos to worship at the temple. Travellers would enter the temple bearing flowers as a tribute to the goddess, and young cypriot temple priestesses would offer their virginity to the goddess by engaging in ritual sexual intercourse with the pilgrims within the temple walls. These rites form the basis for the modern day Anthisiria flower festival. In 500 BC the area became unsettled, and Palepafos took part in the rebellion of the Ionians against the Persians. In 498 BC the city defenses were breached when the Persians managed to scale the ramparts following a fierce siege. Following an earthquake which effectively levelled the city in 325 BC, the last king of Palepafos, Nikikles, moved the city to where present day Kato Paphos is located, yet Aphrodite's Temple retained its status until Emperor Theodosius banned pagan worship in the 4th century. On the hill nearby the temple lies Lusignan Court, a structure dating back to the Crusaders which was modified by the Turks during their occupancy. The Court features a Gothic hall with crossed vaulting which is particularly impressive. The east wing of the Court contains a museum which highlights many locally excavated artifacts, including bronze, stone statues, ceramics, and the cone-shaped ebony stone which served as the focal point of goddess worship for many centuries. Also nearby is the House of Leda, where a 2nd century AD floor mosaic depicts Zeus with Queen Leda represented as a swan, and Panagia Chrysopolitissa, a 12th century church. This church was known for being a place of interest for women seeking Mary's intervention towards fertility issues, and features a number of beautiful frescoes dating back to the 14th century. Paphos is actually two towns -- Pano Paphos (Upper Paphos, or also referred to as Ktima by locals) and Kato Paphos (Lower Paphos). The Arab raids back in the Byzantine era led to many towns being moved inland for defensive purposes. Kato Paphos includes most of the tourist hotels and facilities as well as the Roman era ruins, while Pano Paphos is predominantly the modern city and business area and contains the modern museums. Upper Paphos is for the most part best traversed by foot. Almost all of the major museums, mosques, Old Town, market and shopping are within walking distance of one another. Within a ten minute journey one can walk from market stalls which still hold the charm of years gone by to Makarios Avenue and today's designer shops and labels. Upper Paphos houses the Cami Kebir (The Grand Mosque), the Agora market hall, the Loutra baths, Agios Kendas church, the Town Hall, Agios Theodoros, the Geological Exhibition, the Bishop's Palace and Byzantine Museum, and the Ethnographic Museum. Kato Paphos in comparison is quite spread out from a tourist's perspective. Fortunately there is a bus service which runs from the Harbour all the way to Coral Bay, so one is able to explore at leisure without tiring. Within Kato Paphos lies Agia Kyriaki, the Catacombs of Agia Solomoni, Fabrica Hill, the Archaeological Museum, the Paphos Aquarium, Paphos Harbour, Paphos Fort, and the antiquities and mosaics behind the harbour. Tombs of the KingsTombs of the Kings are actually incorrectly named -- there are no royalty or former leaders of the island entombed within the caves and tombs. Instead the occupants are local noblemen, officers, and ranking civil servants. The site consists of a network of caves and tombs hewn from the rock, which date from 300 BC to 300 AD. Of the eight tombs which are open for public viewing, of note are numbers 3, 4 and 8. Steps carved into the rock lead to the vaults, some of which feature Doric columns behind which the final resting places lay, others feature murals. The design of many of the tombs undoubtedly reflect Egyptian influence, perhaps inspired by the Alexandrian tombs of Ptolemy. Documented history shows that it would be customary for the relatives of the deceased to gather together for a final ceremonial meal on the anniversary of the death and leave the remaining uneaten food around the resting place. Unfortunately the tombs were stripped of their contents over the years, notably in modern times by an American consul stationed in Larnaca. The tombs have served as a hiding place for those fleeing religious persecution in the past, and unfortunately also served as a quarry during its history. Paphos HarbourPaphos Harbour is a popular destination for tourists and island natives alike. There are active small fishing boats which berth here, in addition to larger ships which offer day and night cruises along the coastline. Living the harbour promenade are a number of restaurants and shops and tourist information centre. At the end of the harbour are two attractions, Paphos castle and the ancient ruins and Mosaics. Paphos Castle now houses a museum, but it originally dates back to medieval times and the Lusignan period, and following remodelling and rebuilding by the Turks features a flat roof which now provides an excellent vantage point for views over the harbour and the ruins. There additionally is another site nearby which features the remains of another Lusignan castle, Saranda Kolones, which fell victim to a powerful earthquake in the early 13th century. The Roman ruins and mosaics in Kato Paphos are amongst the most beautiful and significant in the world. Surprisingly only discovered in the early 1960s, the entire Kato Paphos ruins are designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site and protected for archeological and historical reasons. The richness and opulence of the decorative interiors of the roman era buildings unearthed prove that Kato Paphos was indeed a place of great wealth and power. In addition to the famous mosaics in the House of Dionysis, the House of Theseus is notable both for its own interesting mosaics as well as having been built on top of a pre existing Hellenic era villa, and nearby are a Hellenic theatre and quinessential Odeon music theatre carved into the rock hillside. Local PlacesGeroskipou is named to signify its original origins -- a forest dedicated to Aphrodite. 'hieros kipos' in Greek translates as sacred garden, and the area is known for citrus and pomegranate trees, potent symbols of Aphrodite. In the market square is Agia Paraskevi, a 9th century Byzantine church, which contains many 15th century murals and six domes upon its structure. Many of the frescoes are from the Luisignan period and easily identifiable due to the uniforms of the depicted knights. Empa and Lempa are located to the west of Paphos, near Kissonerga and Chlorakas. Over 5,500 years ago some of the first settlers of Cyprus came to Lempa, and on the outer edge of town exists a reconstruction of round Bronze Age clay constructed houses. Today, Lempa houses the Cyprus College of Fine Arts, and the nearby pottery workshops and independent sculptors are of exceptional quality. Empa is home to 12th century monastery Panagia Chryseleoussa which houses some frescoes which have not survived well to modern times due to earthquakes and poor attempts at restoring historic damage. Agios Neofytos was founded in the 12th century by Saint Neofytos, one of the early pillars of the Cypriot church. He spent about 20 years of his life here, and personally carved three rooms into the limestone, including bookshelves, benches and a desk. Murals cover the internal walls, allegedly painted by Neofytos' own hands. Many of his manuscripts survive and are exhibited here, including a guide to monastic life and a retelling of how the Crusaders came to control Cyprus. The main portion of the monastery is still inhabited by monks, and includes a courtyard, an inner garden with small aviary, and a private church dedicated to Mary. Coral Bay, located northwest of Paphos, features a fine sandy beach which is extremely popular both with tourists as well as young Cypriots. Nearly the entire summer, the beach will be covered with sunbeds and populated by island visitors seeking to improve upon their suntan. The five star Coral Beach Hotel is located here, as are numerous other hotels, bars, and dining establishments. The Mavrokolympos reservoir is located several kilometers inland, as well as the Adonis Baths, noted for the approximately 10 meter waterfall. If one follows the road further up the Mavrokolympos river, there are also many more waterfalls to see. The drive to and from Mavrokolympos river and reservoir is framed by plantations and vineyards. Pegeia is located about 5km inland, up in the hillside looking down to Coral Bay. The town was founded in Byzantine times, and in Greek its name means 'springs' and features many good restaurants near the fountains in the square. Above Pegeia at altitudes exceeding 600m is the Laona region, which includes villages such as Kathikas, Drouseia and Inia and provides stunning panoramic views of the coastline and hills. Agios Georgios and Yeronissos Island were sites of Roman and Byzantine era civilisation. Ruins have been discovered locally which date back to a basilica from the 6th century and feature sea-motif mosaics and stone columns. The area features numerous caves and rocky areas along the seaside, which were used by varying populations over the years to hide from invaders, and Yeronissos Island is home to both neolithic age ruins as well as greek and roman ruins. Restaurants
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