Category: Discover Cyprus

Located in the village of Geroskipou, this interesting 9th century Byzantine church is a five-domed, three-aisled, barrel-vaulted basilica, making it one of only two such churches on the whole island, and a significant example of Byzantine architecture.

The beautiful interior wall paintings date to various periods, from the 8th-15th centuries. A monochrome reddish cross, painted directly on the stone, is of an earlier type and was revealed during restoration works. This type of cross is usually dated to the Early Christian period, up until the 8th-9th century.

Apart from its frescoes, the church also contains a rather significant portable, double-sided icon, dating to the 15th century. The Virgin Mary is depicted on one side, and the scene of the Crucifixion on the other.

According to tradition, the name Geroskipou (‘sacred garden’ in Greek) derives from the sacred gardens of the Goddess Aphrodite, which were located to the south of the village towards the sea, at the point where the ancient pilgrims began their journey to the sanctuary of Palaipafos (old Pafos). As such, the church may stand on the ruins of an ancient temple dedicated to Aphrodite, although it could also originally have been dedicated to Timios Stavros (the Holy Cross). Today, it is dedicated to the Christian martyr Agia Paraskevi.

The archaeological site of Agios Georgios at the Pafos (Paphos) village of Pegeia is a famous place of pilgrimage for the region. Excavations that began in the 1950’s uncovered significant evidence of an Early Christian settlement.

The excavations unearthed three Early Christian Basilicas and a bath from the 6th century, whilst later excavations (in the nineties) revealed an extensive unwalled settlement that occupied the neck and the south slope of the cape in the Roman and early Christian periods.

The settlement flourished under Justinian I (527 – 565 AD), and its advantageous position suggests that it was probably a port of call for ships transporting grain from Egypt to Constantinople.

The necropolis lies at the brow of the cliff with tombs carved into the rock. Located at the centre of the settlement – on the neck of the cape – is the large three-aisled ‘Basilica A’ with a baptistery adjacent on its west side. A smaller three-aisled basilica with a transept is annexed to the north side of the baptistery.

The three-aisled ‘Basilica B’ lies at the foot of the southern slope of the cape, whilst the remains of the small three-aisled ‘Basilica C’ lie to the northeast of the settlement, with adjacent structures along the north side of a sacristy, oil press, well, guest-house, and courtyard.

The place of pilgrimage of Agios Georgios is located between the site of the basilicas and the necropolis. There is also a small chapel founded in the late 13th – early 14th century also named after Agios Georgios. The stone built church of Agios Georgios was built more recently.

Located about 9km north of Pafos (Paphos), the monastery of Agios Neophytos was founded by the Cypriot recluse and writer Neophytos in the second half of the 12th century, in what used to be a secluded location at the head of the picturesque valley.

The hermit carved a cave out of the mountains called the ‘Enkleistra’, which is covered with some of the finest examples of Byzantine frescoes that date back from the 12th to the  15th centuries. The monastery has a noteworthy ecclesiastical museum and its later church also contains some of the finest Post-Byzantine icons dating to the 16th century.

Monastery of Agios Neophytos – Audio Guide 

The natural grotto of the Baths of Aphrodite, and its botanical garden, can be found past the fishing harbour of Latsi, and towards the tip of the Akamas Peninsula.

Shaded by an old fig tree, amidst lush greenery, legend tells that the Ancient Greek Goddess Aphrodite used to bathe in the waters. According to Greek mythology, Aphrodite met her lover Adonis at this beautiful spot when he stopped for a drink whilst hunting, and fell in love with her the moment when he drank the water.

The site is linked to the Aphrodite Cultural Route.

Baths of Aphrodite – Audio Guide 

Excavations in the village of Lempa, 4km north of Pafos (Paphos), have brought to light an important settlement of the Chalcolithic Age (3900-2500 BC). Replicas of five houses from this era have been reconstructed using the same materials and building methods as used in Chalcolithic times.

The site links with the Aphrodite Cultural Route.

Located close to Coral Bay resort, the settlement of Maa-Paleokastro is where the first ancient (Mycenaean) Greeks settled in 1200 BC after emigrating to the island following the fall of the Mycenaean Kingdoms in mainland Greece. As such, it is a very important site for Cyprus – as this is where the Hellenisation of the island started – and offers great insight on the end of the Late Bronze Age on the island.

Its name of ‘Paleokastro’ (‘old castle’ in Greek) comes from its imposing defensive walls that were always exposed. The fortifications of the settlement consist of two separate Cyclopean-style walls; the first wall protected the settlement from the land, and the second offered protection from the sea.

The little museum with its unusual architecture is the work of the Italian architect-conservator and professor Andrea Bruno. The Museum depicts the colonisation of Cyprus by the Mycenaean Greeks.

The archaeological site of Palaipafos (‘old Pafos’ in Greek) is located in Kouklia Village and was one of the most important city-kingdoms of Cyprus, as well as the first Cypriot site to be included in the World Heritage List of UNESCO in 1980.

There are two versions of how Palaipafos was founded; one story tells that Agapenor, the King of Tegea (Peloponesus), founded the city-kingdom on his way back from the Trojan War. A second legend tells that Kinyras, the local legendary king (12th century) was the founder and first High Priest of The Sanctuary of Aphrodite, which is one of the most significant monuments at the site and the most famous of the Goddess’ sanctuaries. Its ancient remains date back to the 12th century BC, whilst it remained a place of worship until the 3rd – 4th centuries AD.

The other significant monuments of Palaipafos are: The House of Leda; the northeast gate of the defensive wall; the city wall and the Palace of Hadji Abdulla; the Church of Panagia Katholiki; the Lusignan Manor House; the cemeteries and the Lusignan sugar-cane refinery in the coastal plain.

The museum, housed in a Lusignan Manor, exhibits many interesting finds from the area and portrays how the Cult of the Goddess of Fertility developed into the Cult of Aphrodite, whilst the sugar-cane refinery is also open to visitors.

The site is linked to the Aphrodite Cultural Route.

Kouklia Palaipafos – Audio Guide 

Located in Empa village, 3km north of Pafos (Paphos), the Church of Panagia Chryseleousa is actually a combination of two churches and is a stone-built structure with three aisles and two domes.

The eastern section was first built as a cruciform church with a dome in the 12th century, possibly on the ruins of an earlier Christian basilica. An extension was made to the west with a domed building of the cross-in-square type later on in the 13th century.

The church retains its rare wall paintings of the 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th centuries, with one of the most interesting depicting the miracle of fishing. Other ecclesiastical treasures include 15th and 16th century portable icons. Among them is a noteworthy icon of Jesus Christ holding a Gospel with his left hand, and a fine icon painted on two panels with six of the Apostles on each panel.