4 Ancient Wonders of Paphos

Paphos is undoubtedly the cultural hub of Cyprus. The city boasts with rich cultural heritage and history, visible through the many ancient temples, castles and forts, mosaics, palaces and ancient burial grounds the city is decorated with. Paphos has been inhabited since the Neolithic era, and since then has been fallen in the hands of numerous foreign invaders. All former conquerors have left behind traces of their existence. Apart from the city’s cultural importance, Paphos is a destination famed for its abundance of beauty accentuated by the multiple landmarks, ageless villages and golden coastline. Let’s take a look at 4 must-visit ancient wonders of Paphos!

The Tombs of Kings, unlike what its name connotes, was the burial ground of the aristocracy in the past. The locals also refer to the underground graveyard as the Palaiokastra, meaning the Old Castles. The graves found on site date back to the 3^rd-4^th century BC, and although it is rather morbid, the tombs are definitely a work of art! What impresses most is the craftsmanship of past civilisations who actually carved sculptured grave rooms directly into the rocks. There are also signs of crosses and other wall painting and frescoes depicting scenes of early Christianity.

The famed Paphos Lighthouse is known in Greek as the Faros. The impressive and grandiose-like structure is visible from any corner of the city. Tourists visit the Lighthouse on a daily basis to take pictures with the towering structure with a backdrop of the entire city. Although, you will need to climb lots of steps to reach it, once on the top the view before you is totally worth your effort.

Found near the picturesque Paphos Port you will find some of the most well-preserved mosaics found across the Mediterranean! The mosaics date back to the 3^rd-5^th centuries and can be viewed at the Paphos Archaeological Park. The mosaics are found in ancient Roman Palaces. The most impressive are those found in the House of Dionysos, the House of Orpheus, the House of Aion and the House of Theseus. All the mosaics depict scenes of Greek mythology as well as early Christianity. The mosaics were unravelled by a farmer accidently while he was ploughing his field!

The ruins of the Saranta Kolones Castle lie on the north side of Paphos Port. The palace was named Saranta Kolones (Forty Columns) because according to findings it was built on a forty-column granite base by the Lusignans in the 13^th century, on the previous site of a Byzantine castle. Archaeological findings have revealed that the prior Byzantine castle was built as far back as the 7^th century, and the Lusignans extended and remodelled it to build the Saranta Kolones Castle. Today, although most of the palace is in ruins, it is still popular among tourists who explore the dungeons and tower that are still intact.

That all on the ancient wonders of Paphos! Stay tuned for lots more…