Palaepaphos

The ancient town of Palaepaphos is located within the limits of the modern village of Kouklia, situated close to the mouth of Diarizos river, 16 kilometres east of the modern town of Pafos. The site of  Palaepaphos and its surrounding area are linked to an ancient cult associated with the “Great Goddess”, the goddess of fertility, who was worshiped in Cyprus since the Neolithic period.

In September 1980,  Palaepaphos became the first Cypriot site to be included in the World Heritage List of UNESCO.

 The most important monuments of Palaipafos are:

The Sanctuary of Aphrodite: One of the most important sanctuaries of Aphrodite throughout the ancient world. It is mentioned by Homer and other Greek and Latin authors. The surviving remains of the sanctuary form two groups of buildings: in the south, was the first shrine of Aphrodite, Sanctuary I, built in the Late Bronze Age. It consists of an open court (temenos), surrounded by a monumental wall comprised of enormous limestone blocks. Its western side and part of its south side are preserved along with a hall, which housed a conical baetyl in its centre symbolising the power of the Great Goddess. The baetyl also adorned the Roman shrine, Sanctuary II, which was erected in the north at the end of the 1st or the beginning of the 2nd century A.D. The new Roman buildings enclose a spacious open court at the south, east and north.

The House of Leda: The Roman “House of Leda” was discovered at the locality Alonia, about 120 m. northwest of the Byzantine church of Agios Nikolaos, which dates to the 16th century. From the original building only the central dining room is preserved which is covered with an outstanding mosaic floor dated to the 2nd century A.D. and which depicts the mythological scene of Leda and the Swan (The panel on-site is a modern copy; the original is exhibited in the Kouklia Museum).

The Church of Panagia Katholiki: Panagia Katholiki follows the type of a cruciform church and dates to the 12th or 13th century A.D. The western sector is a 16th century addition. The surviving wall-paintings which decorate the interior of the church, reflect the traditional popular art of the 15th century.

The site is open Monday to Sunday. Winter hours 08:30-17:00, summer hours 08:30-19:30. Admission Euro 4.50 (one ticket for both the archeological site and the museum)

Coordinates:  34.707496° N, 32.573873° E

(texts from the Cyprus Department of Antiquites site / Archaeological Sites)

Visited October 2017