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Limassol

KNOWLEDGE OF Limassol

Limassol (Greek: Λεμεσός, Lemesos; Turkish: Leymosun) is the second-largest city of Cyprus, with a population of 161,000 (2001 census), and the biggest municipality of the island. The city is located on Akrotiri Bay, on the island's southern coast.

It has experienced great development after the tragic events occurred by the Turkish invasion in 1974, becoming the biggest port in the Mediterranean transit trade. Limassol has since then become one of the most important tourism, trade and service-providing centre in the area. Limassol is renowned for its long cultural tradition. A wide spectrum of activities and a great number of museums and archaeological sites are proposed to the interested visitor.

Limassol was built between two ancient cities, Amathus and Kourion, so during Byzantine rule it was known as Neapolis (new town). Limassol's tourist strip now runs east along the coast as far as Amathus. To the west of the city is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area of the United Kingdom.

Limassol also attracts a wide range of tourists mostly during the summer season to be accommodated in its several luxurious hotels and apartments.

Spyros Kyprianou, the former president of Cyprus was from Limassol. Marcos Baghdatis, an internationally famous tennis player, is from Limassol.

The town of Limassol is situated between the ancient towns of Amathus and Curium (Kourion). The English King Richard the Lionheart destroyed Amathus in 1191. Lemesos (Limassol) was probably built after Amathus had been ruined. However, the town of Lemesos (Limassol) was inhabited since the very old times. Graves that were found there date back to 2.000 B.C. and others date back to the 8th and 4th century BC. These few remains that were left behind show that a small colonization must have existed which did not manage to develop and flourish.

The ancient writers mention nothing about the foundation of the town.

According to the Synod which took place in 451, the bishop of Theodossiani Sotir as well as the bishops of Amathus and Arsinoe were involved in the foundation. Theodossiani is regarded the same as Limassol was known later as Neapolis. Bishop Leontios of Neapolis was an important church writer in the 7th century.The records of the 7th Synod (787) refer to it as the bishop’s see. The town was known as Nemesos in the 10th century. Constantine Porfyrogennitos refers to the town by this name.

The history of Limassol is largely known by the events of 1191 A.D. that put an end to the Byzantine dominion of Cyprus. The king of England, Richard the Lionheart, was travelling to the Holy Land in 1191. His fiancιe Berengaria and his sister loanna, (Queen of Sicily), were also travelling on a different ship. Because of a storm, the ship with the queens arrived in Lemesos (Limassol). Isaac Comnenus, the Byzantine governor of Cyprus, was heartless and cruel, and hated the Latins very much. He did not allow the queens to get off the ship and did not even help them. When Richard arrived in Lemesos (Limassol) and met Isaac Comnenus, he asked him to contribute to the crusade for the liberation of the Holy Land. While at the beginning Isaac had accepted, he later on refused to give any help.
Anthony
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