5 Top Paphos Landmarks you Must Visit!
Although the idyllic holiday you have in mind is lying on a beach by one of Louis Hotels with a cocktail in hand in Paphos, the cultural hub showcases many landmarks you must visit. We have put together 5 most top landmarks you must add to your sightseeing bucket list next time you are holidaying in Paphos.
Paphos Mosaics: Excavations revealed a number of Greco-Roman villas dating back to the 3rd century including the House of Dionysos, Theseus and Aion. Besides the villas marvellous architecture, the well-preserved mosaics found in the past palaces impress every visitor. Considered as the finest throughout Eastern Europe, the mosaics depict scenes taken from ancient Greek mythology.
Tombs of Kings: This is a large underground graveyard originating back to the 4th century. The tombs were actually built out of solid rock. The most impressive part of the tombs is the Doric Pillars used to decorate the tombs. Even though the name of the historical landmarks denotes that kings were buried within the tombs, the underground graveyard was named after the tombs architectural magnificence.
Saint Solomon’s Church & Catacomb: In the past the church was initially an underground Christian catacomb. Outside the sacred cave visitors will find a sacred tree, which as legend has it, heals people from disease after they hang strips of their clothing or a personal item on its branches.
Paphos Medieval Castle: The Castle of Paphos is hard to miss since the structure dominates Paphos’ picturesque harbour. Initially built as a Byzantine fort for the purpose of protecting the harbour from enemy raids, the castle was dismantled and rebuilt by the Lusignans in the beginning of the 13th century. By 1570, the Venetians destroyed the fort after failing to protect the city from the Ottoman attack. The Ottoman Empire later restored it. The British, who later conquered the city, used the fort as a prison and storage area. As you can understand, the Paphos Castle symbolises Paphos’ rich history.
Kourion: Overlooking the crystalline blue Mediterranean from a cliff top, Kourion is a marvellous ancient site found in Paphos. Although Kourion was first settled by the Mycenaean, it reached its peak during the Roman period. The Romans left behind awe-inspiring landmarks of their stay in Paphos including a stadium, theatre and public baths. Similar to other ancient city-kingdoms on the island, Aphrodite and Apollo’s cults thrived at Kourion and therefore, both have monuments and temples there as well. While walking through the ancient ground, the city’s revives as visitors visualise how the city was during its days of glory.
There you go folks, 5 top landmarks every tourist is Paphos must visit! Stay tuned for more next month!