Author: cconstantinou

Kourion Archaeological Museum is housed in a traditional building that was once the private residence of the late George McFadden, Assistant Director of the University of Pennsylvania, who led extensive archaeological research at the ancient city of Kourion and its environs from 1934 -1953.

The museum opened in 1969 and consists of two exhibition halls that showcase finds from the nearby archaeological sites, including red polished ware of the Early Bronze age, pottery and golden jewellery of the Mycenaean era, and a large number of offerings from the nearby Sanctuary of Apollon Hylates.

The skeletal remains of inhabitants of the city who lost their lives in the 4th century earthquakes constitute one of the most impressive exhibits of the museum, and were found in situ in a Roman house.

Lemesos (Limassol) Municipal Art Gallery presents one of the largest and richest collections of Cypriot modern art with over 600 paintings, sculptures, pottery and mixed media pieces exhibited across an old building and new ground halls.

The old building was designed by German-Jewish architect Ginsdbury in 1938, and houses collections of paintings by well-known Cypriot artists, including Adamantios Diamantis, Christophoros Savva and Telemachos Kanthos. The ground halls showcase representative samples of art by new Cypriot artists, and the basement holds the National Liberation Revolution tribute collection, which belongs to the Historical Remembrance Council.

The building of the Water Museum consists of the old Lemesos (Limassol) Water Pumping Station (the ‘Water Machine’) that was built in 1925, and is located next to the offices of Lemesos Water Board.

Included in the Protected Historic Buildings List of the Cyprus Department of Town Planning and Housing, the Water Pumping Station was used to pump significant quantities of water from the Garyllis Delta aquifer. The water was then transferred through water pipes to the Lemesos Water Tower from where it was distributed to the town of Lemesos. It was a pioneering water distribution system not only for Cyprus, but also for the whole geographical region around the island.

The old building of the Water Pumping Station was restored and a new modern construction was built adjacent to the old one to form the ‘Water Museum and Centre of Water Awareness Development’. The exhibits are all related to water, including important archaeological pieces, and a number of rare objects and instruments used for pumping, recording the consumption, quality testing and other water related activities. The different topics are supported by rich photographic material and a short film explaining the importance of water as part of the town’s history and beyond.

Housed in a renovated building, the Municipal Folk Art Museum was founded in 1985, and showcases collections of Cypriot folk art from the 19th and 20th centuries, with over 500 exhibits displayed across six rooms.

The collection covers art, culture, traditions, society, trade and other elements of traditional Cypriot life, and includes interesting urban attire, national costumes, furniture, country tools, wood carvings, embroidery and jewellery.

In 1988 the museum was recognised with the ‘Europa Nostra’ award.

The Lemesos (Limassol) District Archaeological Museum houses a rich and notable collection of antiquities from the Neolithic age to the Roman period, originating from excavations at various archaeological sites in the Lemesos region.

The exhibits are housed in three rooms and are divided into three main categories. The first room contains pottery from different historical periods; the middle room exhibits coins, jewellery, lamps and a variety of copper tools and objects, whilst the third presents sculptures, tombstones, capitals, inscriptions and other marble and limestone artefacts. A variety of objects related to the cult of Aphrodite – such as fertility and other votive offerings and female terracotta figurines – are also included in the exhibits.

The museum is linked with the Aphrodite Cultural Route.

The Fassoula Agricultural Museum is housed in a traditional residence in the village of Fassoula, and contains agricultural tools, such as a plough, yoke, scythe and earthenware jars that were used for daily chores or for storing wine or olive oil in bygone times.

The village itself dates back to the Middle Ages and is depicted on old maps of Cyprus with the name ‘Fasula’ or ‘Phasula’. The most likely origin of its name is from the Frankish word ‘fasoula’, meaning scythe – the tool for harvesting.