CYPRUS -SITES AND MONUMENTS

Agia Napa Monastery

Agia Napa Aqueduct The Ayia Napa aqueduct was built in the Roman period, 2000 years ago.

The construction was used for water supplying the Roman settlement.

Georgios Kikillos

The charming Medieval Monastery of Agia Napa was built in the form of a Medieval Castle around 1500 AD. The monastery is partially built underground and cut into the rock, surrounded by a high wall. It is dedicated to ‘Our Lady of the Forests’, with the name coming from the Ancient Greek word for wooded valley (‘Napa’) as a result of the area’s past topography.

The monastery was restored in 1950 and in 1978 became an Ecumenical Conference Centre, serving churches in Cyprus and the Middle East. After the reestablishment of the Holy Metropolis Constantia Ammochostos (Famagusta) in 2007, the monastery came under the administration of the Metropolis.

A new church - also dedicated to the Virgin Mary - was built in 1994, south west of the monastery.

The ancient sycamore tree in front of the south gate is believed to be over 600 years old.

Alkmini Michaelidou

Apostolos Andreas Monastery It is a monastery situated just south of Cape Apostolos Andreas, the north-easternmost point of the island of Cyprus, in Rizokarpaso in the Karpasia Peninsula.

The monastery is dedicated to Saint Andrew and is an important site for the Cypriot Orthodox Church.

Andreas Vasiliou Veronica Maou

Famagusta-Ammochostos Ammochostos is a city on the east coast of Cyprus.

It is located east of Nicosia and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. During the medieval period Famagusta was the island's most important port city and a gateway to trade with the ports of the Levant, from where the Silk Road merchants carried their goods to Western Europe.

Veronica Maou Nicolas Xatzichristou

The Kyrenia castle is in the old harbor in Kyrenia in the occupied area of Cyprus. It was built in the 16th century by the Venetians. It is a very beautiful castle.

Within its walls lies a twelfth-century chapel showing reused late Roman capitals, and the Shipwreck Museum.

Eleana Karousou

Kamares Aqueduct This beautiful 18th century aqueduct can be found on the road heading towards Lemesos (Limassol) in the area of Kamares, which takes its name from the distinctive arches (‘kamares’ in Greek).

The aqueduct was built in the Roman style in 1746 by the Turkish governor of Larnaka, Bekir Pasha, who funded it out of his own sources to carry water to Larnaca from a source about 10 km away. The aqueduct was abandoned in 1939 and its function replaced by modern pipes. A cobbled area with benches and a footpath allows you to enjoy the site of this monument, with the path linking up with Larnaka Salt Lake.

Elina Panteli Chrysostomos Chari Saint Lazarous church Located in its own square in the town centre, the magnificent stone church of Agios Lazaros is one of the most remarkable examples of Byzantine architecture in Cyprus and lies over the tomb of the saint. Built by Byzantine Emperor Leo VI in the 9th century, the church was restored in the 17th century.

Saint Lazarus came to Cyprus after being resurrected by Jesus. He was ordained as Bishop of Kition by the Apostles Barnabas and Paul and lived in the town for 30 years. His tomb can be seen under the sanctuary.

Chrysostomos Chari Marinos Georgiou

Amathous Archeological Site Amathous is one of the significant ancient city-kingdoms of Cyprus where, according to mythology, Greek hero Theseus left the pregnant Ariadne to be attended by local women. It was also an important site of worship of the Goddess Aphrodite-Astarte.

There are various rich archaeological finds at the site, including the Agora, the public baths, the Temple of Aphrodite, early Christian basilicas and several tombs.

Nektaria Kyriakou Limassol Medieval Castle Lemesos (Limassol) Medieval Castle is situated in the heart of the old town, just above the old harbour. According to tradition, this is where Richard the Lionheart married Berengaria of Navarre and crowned her Queen of England in 1191. The fortified walls are of considerable archaeological interest and thought to be fragments of a much larger castle.

The exact date of the fort’s construction is not known; according to Etienne de Lusignan, it was built in 1193 by the founder of the Lusignan dynasty, Guy de Lusignan, but the first official reference to the fort dates to 1228, during the involvement of Frederic II of Germany in the affairs of Cyprus.

Silvia Mitkova

Kolossi castle Serving as a fine example of military architecture, Kolossi castle was originally built in the 13th century, and rebuilt in its present form in the 15th century. After the fall of Acre in 1291, it served as the Grand Commandery of the Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and in the 14th century came under the domain of the Knights Templar. During their stay in Cyprus, the Knights produced and exported a sweet wine, which became known as the ‘vin de Commanderie’.

Constantinos Piroyiatis Kourion Theatre Kourion was an important city-kingdom in antiquity and stands as one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Cyprus.

The theatre was constructed at the end of the 2nd century BC, but took its current dimensions during the 2nd century AD. Consisting of a semicircular orchestra that is surrounded by seats of the cavea, it was enclosed to the south by the building of the scaenae frons that must have reached the height of the cavea, though today only the foundations remain. The theatre could seat up to 3,500 spectators. Today, it is the scene of many cultural activities and theatrical performances, especially during the summer season Antzelina Tzouvani

The Pafos Mosaics The Pafos Mosaics are considered among the finest in the eastern Mediterranean and form part of the Archaeological Park of Kato Pafos, which has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list since 1980. They were discovered in 1962, after a farmer ploughing his field accidently unearthed one of them.

The Houses of Dionysos, Theseus, Aion and Orpheus are the villas of four Roman noblemen that date from the 2nd to the 5th centuries AD.Their intricate floor mosaics depict various scenes from Greek Mythology.

Thekla Nourou

Petra tou Romiou Aphrodite’s mythical birthplace ‘Petra tou Romiou’ is an interesting geological formation of huge rocks along one of the most beautiful coastlines on the island, located on the southwest coast of the Pafos (Paphos) district.

According to the legend, the Ancient Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty - Aphrodite - was born of the sea foam here. Legend tells that she rose from the waves and was escorted on a shell to this particular beach.

Petros Kareklas

Tombs of the Kings The famous ‘Tombs of the Kings’ form part of the Archaeological Park of Kato Pafos (Paphos) - one of the most important archaeological sites of Cyprus that has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list since 1980.

The monumental underground tombs are carved out of solid rock and date back to the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

Rather than kings, it is actually high ranking officials and aristocracy that were buried here, but the size and splendor of the tombs – some decorated with Doric pillars - gave the locality its grand name.

Paris Zacharia

Russian style church

Panagia Asinou Church

Take a drive into the beautiful countryside that leads outside Nicosia, past Lakatamia and onto the road that cuts through the rural greenery all the way up towards Machairas, and take a turn up to Episkopio village, not far from Tamassos dam.

With a brand new church having just opened its doors in the area in the lead up to Easter, it’s certainly not quite what one would expect, with glistening onion shaped gold domes (made with a mix of gold and titanium nitrate) beckoning attention.

Located on the east bank of a stream, 3km from the mountainous village of Nikitari, Panagia Asinou Church is a small church dedicated to the Virgin of ‘Phorbia’. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and contains some of the finest Byzantine wall paintings on the island, dating from the 12th to the 17th century.

The church used to be a monastery church that was built in 1099 with the donation of Magistros Nikephoros Ischyrios, who subsequently became a monk with the name Nikolaos. It functioned until the end of the 18th century, when it was abandoned.

Panayiota Peteinou

Pyli Ammochostou Nicosia is the capital of the country. The old city was encircled by the venetian walls. Famagusta Gate is the largest of the three entrances to the old city. The gate opened onto the road that led to the most important harbour town of the island at the time, that of Famagusta.

Famagusta Gate has since been restored and the Nicosia Municipal Multicultural Centre now operates within the large vaulted passage and its two adjacent rooms. The internal entrance is very impressive, whilst the external one opens onto the moat that surrounds the walls.

Alexandros Ilia The Medieval Walls The Medieval Walls that still surround the old city of Lefkosia (Nicosia) were built by the Venetians in the 16th century. Forming a circle, the walls are fortified by eleven heart-shaped bastions and protected by an 80-metre wide moat.

The original walls were built in the 14th century by the Franks and enclosed a much larger area.

Today, the moat around the walls has many different uses - as sports fields, public gardens, an open-air sculpture exhibition, car park, and other uses.

Alexandros Ilia The presidential Palace The Presidential Palace is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Republic of Cyprus.

It is located close to the center of Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, and is surrounded by a thick pine woodland.

Andreas Meli

This is a project from the E’ 1 team: Students: Chari Chrysostomos Georgiou Marinos Ilia Alexandros Kareklas Petros Karousou Eleana Kikillos Georgios Kyriakou Nektaria Maou Veronica Antrea Meli Andreas Michaelidou Alkmini Mitkova Silvia Nicolas Xatzichristou Nourou Thekla Panteli Elina Peteinou Panayiota Piroyiatis Constantinos Tzouvani Antzelina Vasiliou Andreas Zacharia Paraskevas Teacher: Stella Timotheou