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Pafos
KNOWLEDGE OF Pafos
Pafos, usually written Paphos in English, (Greek: Πάφος, Páfos; Turkish: Baf) is a coastal town in the south-west of Cyprus. Pafos is the mythical birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, sex and beauty. Even the town's name is linked to the Goddess, as Paphos was the name of the mythological son of Aphrodite and Pygmalion. Apollodorus of Athens tells us that it was her son Cinyras who founded the city. In Greco-Roman times it was the island's capital, and it is famous for the remains of the Roman Governor's palace where extensive, fine mosaics are a major tourist attraction. The Apostle Paul visited the town during the 1st century. The town of Paphos is included in the official UNESCO list of cultural and natural treasures of the world's heritage.
The Mayor of the Paphos Municipality is Phedias Sarikas, a member of Social Democratic party EDEK. In the last Municipal Elections in 2001, he was the only candidate mayor, since he was supported by all the political parties. The town is capital of Paphos District.
Paphos is the birthplace of Rauf Denktaş, the long-serving leader of the Turkish Cypriot community of Cyprus and Marios Joannou Elia, a Cypriot internationally famous composer.
At the harbour, there is the Castle of Paphos, originally built as a Byzantine fort to protect the harbour and rebuilt by the Lusignans in the 13th century, then dismantled by the Venetians in 1570, who found themselves unable to defend it against the Ottomans, who in their turn restored and strengthened it after they captured the island. Saranta Kolones, Kato Paphos, near the harbour is castle was built in the first years of the rule of the Lusignans (beginning of 12th century) maybe on the site of a previous Byzantine Castle. It was destroyed in the earthquake of 1222.
The legacy from its remarkable history adds up to nothing less than an open museum, so much so that UNESCO simply added the whole town to its World Cultural Heritage List. Among the treasures unearthed, are the remarkable mosaics in the Houses of Dionysos, Theseus and Aion, beautifully preserved after 16 centuries under the soil. Then there are the mysterious vaults and caves, the Tombs of the Kings, the Pillar to which Saint Paul was allegedly tied and whipped, the ancient Odeon Theatre and other places of interest including the Byzantine Museum and the District Archaeological Museum, with its attractive collection of Cypriot antiquities from the Pafos area, dating from the Neolithic Age to 1700 AD. Near Odeon, there are the remains of the ancient city walls, the Roman Agora and a building dedicated to Asklipeios, god of medicine.
The mosaic floors of these noblemen's villas dating from the 3rd to the 5th century AD are considered among the finest in the Eastern Mediterranean. They mainly depict scenes from Greek mythology.
The city contains many catacomb sites dating back to the early Christian period. The most famous is Saint Solomoni Church, originally a Christian catacomb retaining some of the l2th century frescoes. A sacred tree at the entrance is believed to cure the ailments of those who hang a personal offering on its branches.
A few miles outside the city the rock of Aphrodite (Petra tou Romiou) emerges from the sea. According to legend, Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, rose from the waves in this strikingly beautiful spot. The Greek name, Petra tou Romiou (The Rock of the Greek), is associated with the legendary frontier-guard of Byzantine times, Digenis Acritas, who kept the marauding Saracens at bay. It is said in one such fight he heaved a large rock (Petra), at his enemy.
Near Petra tou Romiou, there is Palaepaphos, Old Paphos, one of the most celebrated places of pilgrimage of the ancient Greek world, and once an ancient city kingdom of Cyprus. Here are the ruins of the famous Temple of Aphrodite, the most ancient remains, go back to the 12th century BC. The temple was one of the most important places of cult and pilgrimage of the ancient world, till the 3rd-4th century A.D. The Museum, housed in the Lusignan Manor, is small but impressive with many finds from the area.
Geroskipou with its remarkable five-domed Byzantine church of Ayia Paraskevi, and its Folk Art Museum is a town in Paphos metropolitan area known for many years now for its special delight `loukoumi'.
Ayios Neophytos Monastery, famous for its `Encleistra', Enclosure, carved out of the mountain by the hermit himself, boasts some of the finest Byzantine frescoes of the l2th and l5th centuries.
The Mayor of the Paphos Municipality is Phedias Sarikas, a member of Social Democratic party EDEK. In the last Municipal Elections in 2001, he was the only candidate mayor, since he was supported by all the political parties. The town is capital of Paphos District.
Paphos is the birthplace of Rauf Denktaş, the long-serving leader of the Turkish Cypriot community of Cyprus and Marios Joannou Elia, a Cypriot internationally famous composer.
At the harbour, there is the Castle of Paphos, originally built as a Byzantine fort to protect the harbour and rebuilt by the Lusignans in the 13th century, then dismantled by the Venetians in 1570, who found themselves unable to defend it against the Ottomans, who in their turn restored and strengthened it after they captured the island. Saranta Kolones, Kato Paphos, near the harbour is castle was built in the first years of the rule of the Lusignans (beginning of 12th century) maybe on the site of a previous Byzantine Castle. It was destroyed in the earthquake of 1222.
The legacy from its remarkable history adds up to nothing less than an open museum, so much so that UNESCO simply added the whole town to its World Cultural Heritage List. Among the treasures unearthed, are the remarkable mosaics in the Houses of Dionysos, Theseus and Aion, beautifully preserved after 16 centuries under the soil. Then there are the mysterious vaults and caves, the Tombs of the Kings, the Pillar to which Saint Paul was allegedly tied and whipped, the ancient Odeon Theatre and other places of interest including the Byzantine Museum and the District Archaeological Museum, with its attractive collection of Cypriot antiquities from the Pafos area, dating from the Neolithic Age to 1700 AD. Near Odeon, there are the remains of the ancient city walls, the Roman Agora and a building dedicated to Asklipeios, god of medicine.
The mosaic floors of these noblemen's villas dating from the 3rd to the 5th century AD are considered among the finest in the Eastern Mediterranean. They mainly depict scenes from Greek mythology.
The city contains many catacomb sites dating back to the early Christian period. The most famous is Saint Solomoni Church, originally a Christian catacomb retaining some of the l2th century frescoes. A sacred tree at the entrance is believed to cure the ailments of those who hang a personal offering on its branches.
A few miles outside the city the rock of Aphrodite (Petra tou Romiou) emerges from the sea. According to legend, Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, rose from the waves in this strikingly beautiful spot. The Greek name, Petra tou Romiou (The Rock of the Greek), is associated with the legendary frontier-guard of Byzantine times, Digenis Acritas, who kept the marauding Saracens at bay. It is said in one such fight he heaved a large rock (Petra), at his enemy.
Near Petra tou Romiou, there is Palaepaphos, Old Paphos, one of the most celebrated places of pilgrimage of the ancient Greek world, and once an ancient city kingdom of Cyprus. Here are the ruins of the famous Temple of Aphrodite, the most ancient remains, go back to the 12th century BC. The temple was one of the most important places of cult and pilgrimage of the ancient world, till the 3rd-4th century A.D. The Museum, housed in the Lusignan Manor, is small but impressive with many finds from the area.
Geroskipou with its remarkable five-domed Byzantine church of Ayia Paraskevi, and its Folk Art Museum is a town in Paphos metropolitan area known for many years now for its special delight `loukoumi'.
Ayios Neophytos Monastery, famous for its `Encleistra', Enclosure, carved out of the mountain by the hermit himself, boasts some of the finest Byzantine frescoes of the l2th and l5th centuries.
Alfred