Places to visit in Пафос
Paphos: Tombs of the Kings and the Medieval Castle. From October 27, 2018
Our journey begins at the medieval castle and continues along the waterfront. This trail is fully exposed to the sun, so it’s essential to take precautions. There are many beautiful places here, including the sunken ship that rises like a ghost with its rusty hull above the azure water. By the way, away from the tourist spots, you’ll find semi-wild city beaches. They have their own quiet and secluded charm. Finally, we’ll reach a massive ancient necropolis with royal tombs. It’s an incredible place, filled with ancient monuments - burial sites that faithfully replicate residential houses and luxurious villas from the ancient world. After all, in the afterlife, one should live as in the present life. It’s a very interesting journey, and I hope you enjoy it. Just don’t forget sun protection!
This structure is commonly referred to as the Paphos Castle. It is a small fort situated on an ancient mole in the western part of the harbour of the Roman city of Nea Paphos. It was never indeed a castle. The fort was incorporated into Cyprus' coastal defence system during the rule of the renowned medieval French knight dynasty, the Lusignans. Essentially, it is a Frankish tower within the Venetian walls. After the Ottomans captured the island, the building underwent destruction and subsequent restoration in 1592, eventually taking on its current appearance. An inscription carved into a marble plaque on the tower's wall above the entrance attests to this history.
Paphos Castle, also known as the "Forty Columns" castle, is located at the western end of the city's port in Cyprus. Initially, a Byzantine fortress was built to protect the port, but it has a rich history that spans different rulers and periods.
Byzantine Origins: - The original Byzantine fortress was constructed in the late 7th century AD. - Unfortunately, it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1222. - The Lusignans, who ruled Cyprus during the 13th century, rebuilt and expanded the fortress.
Genoese Towers: - The Lusignans also built two additional towers, the "Genoese Towers." - These towers played a crucial role in defending the city port against Genoese naval forces in 1373. - They were separate from the main castle but strategically important.
Ottoman Restoration: - After the Genoese period, the Ottomans repaired the castle based on its original design. - A white marble slab above the entrance of the Western Frankish Tower commemorates its reconstruction in 1592 by the Turkish governor of Cyprus, Ahmet Pasha.
Architecture: - The main part of the castle consists of a large rectangular tower with a closed courtyard. - The ground floor housed central halls, small rooms, and large rooms used as prisons and barracks during Ottoman rule.
Despite its tumultuous history, Paphos Castle is a testament to the island's past and remains an intriguing site for visitors¹². If you're interested in exploring more about this fascinating castle, I recommend visiting it in person!
These port fortifications did not last long. The Frankish towers have been in ruins since the late 15th century AD after they were destroyed during an earthquake. Shortly before the Ottoman conquest in 1570, the Venetians ultimately destroyed what remained of the two towers. To do so, they even used explosives. This was likely one of the earliest instances in history of using gunpowder for deliberate tactical destruction. The Venetian merchants had hoped to establish defences on the island in three port cities: Famagusta, Larnaca, and Kyrenia. However, Paphos was destined not to fall into enemy hands, which meant it was destroyed even before the arrival of hostile forces.
The Paphos Castle, originally a Byzantine fortress built to protect the harbour, has undergone various historical changes. The Ottoman restoration preserved the Western Frankish Tower, along with Venetian additions. The ground floor housed prison cells, including small underground chambers for long-term detention. The upper floor served as living quarters for the Turkish garrison, with the central room functioning as a mosque.
On the castle roof, there were twelve embrasures where cannons were once mounted. However, the Ottomans disarmed and dismantled them in 1878 when they handed control of the island to the British. During British rule, the castle served as a salt storage facility. In 1935, it was declared a historical monument under the Antiquities Law. Since then, the castle has been undergoing restoration and protection by the Department of Antiquities
This fragment of contemporary art has survived since the time of Eco Art, one of the most ambitious (or less understandable?) projects of Pafos 2017. It was held under the title 'Paths on Common Ground.' The project curator, Tuli Misirloglu, invited contemporary artists such as Kostis Velonis, Stavros Panayiotakis, Hermann Pitz, Mimmo Rubino, Rinos Stefani, Marinos Tsaggarakis, Horst Weierstall, and performers Marios Hadjipokopiou, Antonis Antoniou, and Anna Tsakou to participate. The project emphasizes the connection between art and nature, opens a dialogue on essential existential questions, and creates a significant heritage in contemporary art in Cyprus. If I hadn't read this, I would never have known this is a column with ink printing on a rope. And now, I still don't know much, but I've heard intelligent words and various names—contemporary art. There you have it.
This small lagoon was so close and accessible that it was impossible not to approach it. Its waters were surprisingly calm compared to another part of the coast. Many dried algae were here, covering the entire coast like a lush carpet. Beauty and peace reigned here.
This beach near the lighthouse turned out to be an actual time machine. It felt like it transported you back to the 1960s and 1970s. Towels peacefully hung on railings, ledges, ropes, and beyond—everywhere—music from the '70s played in the background. The views were semi-deserted and somewhat untidy. Proud flags fluttered against a pastoral backdrop, and the only thing missing was the buzzing of flies—it seemed it was already cold, out of season.
When people discuss acquiring real estate in Cyprus with a sea view and a private beach, the subconscious mind conjures various images and landscapes. But, as they say, it’s better to see it once. It looks something like this. Of course, one cannot generalize, but certain impressions emerge. Overall, there were many “flashbacks” from the 1990s in Israel. Some views even reminded me of Mount Carmel near Tirat a-Karmel.
Here we encountered an ambush :) The territory of the elite complex Elizium did not allow access to the territory of the Kings’ Tombs reserve park. There was an impassable fence here. Therefore, we had to go around, and it was not the most beautiful or pleasant route. Civilization ended beyond the fence, and wild places lay ahead.
The ‘Tombs of the Kings’ is an impressive cemetery near the former fortress walls, northeast of the historic city of Paphos. It was built during the Hellenistic period (3rd century BCE) to meet the burial needs of the recently established Nea Paphos. The name of the necropolis is not related to the burial of kings, as royal rule had been abolished by the successors of Alexander the Great as early as 312 BCE. Instead, the name is more closely associated with the impressive nature of its tombs. The ‘Tombs of the Kings’ served as the final resting place for high-ranking administrative officials and prominent individuals of the Ptolemaic dynasty, as well as their family members. The cemetery was used during the Hellenistic and Roman periods (3rd century BCE - early 4th century CE). Evidence confirms that early Christians also used this necropolis for their burials. However, this site became an endless quarry in the early Christian era.
This is one of the simplest and relatively late burial sites. Niches were used for the resting of bodies, and large stone slabs covered these niches. The entrance appears somewhat unusual, being too high. However, part of the chiselled stone can be seen roughly at mid-height. This is likely due to the change in the burial chamber's original entrance level, necessitating a new, higher entrance.
The existence of the tombs has been known since the late 19th century. A certain Chesnola engaged in systematically looting the complex in search of treasures. In 1915-16, the then-curator of the Cyprus Museum, Markides, excavated some shaft tombs. In 1937, the honorary curator of the Paphos Museum, Loizos Philippou, began systematically studying several tombs. However, it was only in 1977 that scientific excavations were conducted by the Cyprus Department of Antiquities, resulting in the discovery of eight large burial complexes.
This funerary complex consists of two tombs. The first tomb has a peristyle atrium (an inner courtyard with columns) and a covered corridor of twelve steps in the northwest corner. To the left of the entrance is a water tank used for ritual purposes. Ossuaries are located on the north and south walls. Four Doric columns support each roof side, with symmetrical capitals crowned by a frieze of triglyphs and metopes.
Initially, the tombs were covered with stucco, and the walls were adorned with frescoes.
Behind the colonnades, passages lead to rooms with niches (loculi) for placing bodies. The bodies were buried with valuable items, including jewellery and cosmetic articles.
A hole in the northeast corner, made by looters, led to another tomb. The second tomb follows the same architectural style with a columned atrium. The entrance is located to the northwest and features a stepped corridor. Inside the main chamber are burial loculi.
As was common in the classical world, on the anniversary of a loved one's death, relatives held a ceremonial meal (necrodipium) at the ancestor's tomb, leaving food remnants near the body. A rectangular stone block is placed between the columns on the southern side of the atrium. Archaeologists excavated 18 Hellenistic-period burials in this tomb, three undisturbed due to this stone block. Two tombs contained a vessel with myrtle ointment, a gold wreath, and fine Rhodian amphorae.
Don't be afraid to get lost in new places!
