Where to go to spend the precious days of your well-deserved vacation is always an issue. 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 a vacation on its territory! It is not in vain that his name is such a “pathos”. The resort is great for a beach family vacation, and for active tourists eager to find adventure and discover new places.
The historical sights of Paphos are valuable architectural monuments. In the architectural buildings you can find a reflection of the Greco-Roman dynasty: all these buildings, including medieval castles and Christian cloisters, will definitely please the tourist's eye. Let's get acquainted in detail with the main attractions of Paphos and what to see on your own in this wonderful city.
Archaeological park
An important local attraction is considered the archaeological park of Paphos. If you rested in the resort, but did not look into this place - there is no forgiveness to you! What is an archaeological park? First of all, it is a full-fledged open-air museum, where a well-preserved mosaic with plots of ancient mythology, buildings of the Roman era of the III-V century is presented. But the most important thing is at this place when the ancient city of Nea Paphos and the medieval fort of Saranta Colones were located.
Villa Dionysus
At first glance, these are ordinary luxurious apartments that once belonged to a wealthy Roman aristocrat. The name of the villa itself comes from the fact that inside the building there is a mosaic called the “Triumph of Dionysus”. On it, as many visitors to this place note, the Greek god of winemaking, sitting on a chariot, is clearly depicted. Villa Dionysus is located in the archaeological park, therefore, anyone who has planned this route for themselves, this object is a must.
Castle of Saranta Colones
Previously, 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 on this territory, the structure underwent repeated changes both from outside and outside. Ultimately, in 1222, one of the strongest earthquakes was recorded in this region, as a result of which the Castle of Saranta Colones was completely destroyed. Today, tourists can only watch those ruins that have survived to this day.
Odeon Theater
Amphitheaters! 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 is perfectly preserved, because it was almost completely carved from a monolithic rock. This factor also explains the construction's resilience to earthquakes and other natural disasters. In 1973, during the excavations, the Odeon was discovered, and since then it has served not only as an important attraction of Paphos, but also as a public venue for various festivals and concerts.
What to see from the attractions in Cyprus in Paphos?
As we have said, in Paphos to this day there are a lot of samples of defensive structures of that time. Paphos Castle of the 13th century, which at the same time was not only a prison, but also a warehouse, is no exception. From the moment the building was built until 1570, the fortification existed and functioned perfectly, but was later torn to pieces by the Venetians. After the territory of Cyprus came under Turkish control, the castle was again rebuilt and strengthened. Since 1935, Paphos Castle has served as a local landmark and a world 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 from rock. Once upon a time, it served as the burial place of 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 sided with Christianity once hid from oppression here.
Catacombs of Saint Solomonia
Another impressive tomb to visit in Paphos are the catacombs of St. Solomonia. Their first appearance was recorded in the IV century BC. e., originally the catacombs were used as a burial place, but later they suffered the same consideration as the Royal Tombs, where Christians hid from persecution. The catacombs were named after Saint Solomonia, who fled from Palestine with her sons, and took refuge here for a long time. Authorities killed her children right in front of her eyes, and she herself died during prayer over their bodies. It is believed 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 the wandering monk Neophytum the Recluse. It is immediately worth noting that the monastery is not located within the city, but at a distance of 10 kilometers from Paphos. When the Turks conquered Cyprus, the monastery was completely looted, which led to its decline. Only by the middle of the 18th century did a gradual objection to this religious place begin. Nowadays, it is a pilgrimage center and a popular tourist attraction of the city, since 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 give special attention to the wide variety of museums located in the city: the Archaeological, Byzantine and Ethnographic Museum. Each of these representatives is unique and interesting in its own way.
The archaeological museum’s exposition is based on finds discovered as a result of excavations in the area of Marion, Lempe and New Paphos. There 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 also shows tourists a private collection of the Eliadis family: antique furniture, ceramics, home decoration and much more.
Park of birds and animals
If you have already visited all the local attractions of Paphos and don’t know what to do in the near future, then go to the park of birds and animals! The local zoo is the former private collection of ornithologist K. Christophoru, who kept exotic animals at home for a long time.
According to many travelers, the zoo is a landmark in Paphos for self-examination. The park gradually grew and expanded, and today it is one of the main city locations with a large cross of tourists. In the park there are not only birds, but tigers, crocodiles and other predatory animals.
Conclusion
Now you have 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.