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Cyprus


The Holiday Island

CYPRUS

Cyprus tucked away in the top right hand corner of the Mediterranean is so close to Europe, Asia and Africa that it rightly, claims to be a stepping stone to three continents.
An island whose rich dramatic history can be traced back over nine thousand years; an island so coveted over the centuries that it has been invaded and claimed by a fascinating mixture of civilizations from near and far all of which have left their culture and shaped its character.

An island whose archaeology stems from the Neolithic Age, the Ancient Greeks and the Roman period; where churches and monasteries still stand from Byzantine times; castles and palaces from the days of Crusaders and Frankish Lusignans and splendid city walls from Venetian days.

An island chosen by the mythical gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece who indulged themselves here in sport pleasure and tragedy; where Aphrodite goddess of love and beauty, emerged from the Pafos foam to become a famous cult figure - centre of attraction for the first visitors who flocked to the island to worship her.
With such a historic and legendary background it is hardly surprising that Cyprus has developed a character which is quite unique. It is blessed with beauty, natural beauty that ranges from golden beaches and rugged coastlines to rolling hills and forest clad mountains, dotted with picturesque villages.

The two main mountain ranges are the Pentadactylos in the north and the Troodos in central and south-western part of the island. Between them is the fertile plain of Messaoria. Cyprus has long been a crossing point between Europe, Asia and Africa and still has many traces of successive civilisations – Roman theatres and villas, Byzantine churches and monasteries, Crusader castles and pre-historic habitats. The island’s main economic activities are tourism, clothing and craft exports and merchant shipping. Traditional crafts include embroidery, pottery and copper work.
Traditional local dishes include the meze – a selection of appetizers served as a main dish, halloumi cheese and the zivania schnapps. Since Turkey occupied the north of the island in 1974, the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities have been separated by the so-called Green Line.

Cyprus is well known as the island of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, who, according to legend, was born here. In modern literature, names such as Costas Montis (poet and writer) and Demetris Gotsis (writer) stand out, while Evagoras Karageorgis and Marios Tokas are well known for their musical compositions.

Paphos Harbour

Larnaca Harbour

Larnaca, a town with an easy-going pace, has strong links to the past. In the heart of modern Larnaca one finds remains of the ancient city-kingdom of Kition, reminiscent of its glorious days. The Mycenaean Greeks fortified the town with cyclopean walls in the 12th century while the Phoenicians founded a powerful kingdom here in the 9th century.
Kition is the birthplace of the philosopher Zeno, founder of the Stoic School, and it is here that Saint Lazarus came to live after his resurrection. In the 18th century it became a commercial centre and the seat of the European consulates. The delightful Palm Trees Promenade, its fort, and its old quarters give Larnaka its unique character. The nearby salt lake is a favourite stop-over spot for thousands of migrant birds in winter, whilst on its edge in a tranquil setting stands a popular Muslim pilgrimage place. The whole district of Larnaca has something special to offer the visitor, including Choirokoitia, the oldest Neolithic settlement on the island, Slavrovouni Monastery, Agios Lazaros Church and the famous Church of Angeloktisti.
Saint Lazarus is the patron saint of Larnaca.Kition became his second home after his resurrection by Christ, and he lived here for another 30 years. He was ordained Bishop of Kition by Saints Barnabas and Mark. In the 9th century a magnificent church was erected over his tomb by Emperor Leo VI. The church, one of the finest examples of Byzantine architechture in Cyprus was faithfully restored in the 17th century and the iconostasis is an excellent example of baroque woodcarving. Visitors can see the tomb of Saint Lazarus under the sanctuary and the ecclesiastical museum behind the church. Eight days before the Greek Orthodox Easter, the icon of Saint Lazarus is taken in procession through the streets of Larnaca.
 

Nicosia

Limassol

Limassol Front

Limassol Seafront

The town of Limassol is situated between the ancient towns of Amathus and Curium. The English King Richard the Lionheart destroyed Amathus in 1191. Limassol was probably built after Amathus had been ruined. However, the town of Limassol was inhabited since the very old times. Graves that were found there date back to 2.000 B.C. and others date back to the 8th and 4th century B.C. These few remains that were left behind show that a small colonization must have existed which did not manage to develop and flourish. The ancient writers mention nothing about the foundation of the town. According to the Synod which took place in 451 B.C., the bishop of Theodossiani Sotir as well as the bishops of Amathus and Arsinoe were involved in the foundation. Theodossiani is regarded the same as Limassol. Limassol was known later as Neapolis. The records of the 7th Synod (787) refer to it as the bishop’s see. The town was known as Nemesos in the 10th century. Constantine Porfyrogennitos refers to the town by this name. The history of Limassol is largely known by the events of 1191 A.D. that put an end to the Byzantine dominion of Cyprus. The king of England, Richard 1he Lionheart, was travelling to the Holy Land in 1191. His fiancée Berengaria and his sister loanna, (Queen of Sicily), were also travelling on a different ship. Because of a storm, the ship with the queens arrived in Limassol. Isaac Comnenus, the Byzantine governor of Cyprus, was heartless and cruel, and hated the Latins very much. He did not allow the queens to get off the ship and did not even help them. When Richard arrived in Limassol and met Isaac Comnenus, he asked him to contribute to the crusade for the liberation of the Holy Land. While at the beginning Isaac had accepted, he later on refused to give any help. Richard then chased him and beat him. Cyprus was therefore taken over by the British. Richard celebrated his marriage with Berengaria who had received the crown as queen of England in Cyprus. So, the Byzantine dominion in Cyprus came to on end. Richard destroyed Amathus and the inhabitants were transferred to Limassol. A year later, in 1192 A.D. Cyprus was sold to the Templars, rich monks and soldiers whose aim was the protection of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The knights enforced high taxes, in order to put back the money that had been given for the purchase of Cyprus. This led to the revolt of the Cypriots. They demanded that they should get rid of the bond of the promise. Richard accepted their request and a new purchaser was found: Guy de Lusignan, a Frank, a Roman Catholic. Cyprus was thus handed over to the Frankish Dynasty of the Lusignan kings of the medieval Cypriot kingdom. For a period of about three centuries 1192-1489, Limassol enjoyed a remarkable prosperity. Cyprus was characterized by its great number of Latin bishops. This lasted until the occupation of Cyprus by the Turks in 1570 A.D. Latin battalions which established monasteries were settled down there. The settling down of merchants in Cyprus and particularly in Limassol in the 13th century led to the financial welfare of its inhabitants. Its harbor as a center of transportation and commerce, contributed greatly to the financial and cultural development. The King of Germany, Frederick II, urged by the Templars of Cyprus who were enemies of Ibelen, arrived in Limassol and took over in the town in 1228. He then called John Ibelen to come before him, in order to discuss the plans against the Muslims. John Ibelen came before him accompanied by the under-aged King Eric and all the Templars of Cyprus. When Ibelen refused to cooperate, Frederick had no choice but to let him go. The German King took over in Limassol and in other towns. He appointed his own governors but he finally left Cyprus. The forces of Frederick were finally beaten in the battle of 1229, which took place in Agirta, a village in the Kyrenia area, between the forces of Frederick and the troops of the Franks, which were led by John Ibelen. The outcome of the battle meant the beginning of the freedom of Cyprus from the Germans.
Limassol witnessed the attacks of the Mamelukes of Egypt. The harbor of Limassol had become a refuge for the pirates who were ravaging the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean and were stealing the products of the Mohammedans. The lords were getting richer and richer because of the money that was given to them for their assistance to the pirates. Thus, a military force arrived in Limassol in 1424, sent by the Mamelukes of Egypt. The Mamelukes devastated and burned Limassol. A year later, they invaded Cyprus again, this time with greater forces. They plundered Famagusta and Larnaca, and then arrived in Limassol where without any difficulty they occupied the Castle, burned many places, plundered others and then returned to Cairo. The Mamelukes caused even greater destruction in Limassol and other places in 1426. Janus, the king of Cyprus, was defeated by them in Chirokitia and was sent back to Cairo as a prisoner.
Cyprus was sold in 1489 A.D. to the town of Venice by the Cypriot Queen Catherine Cornaro. The Venetians were not interested in Cyprus. They were only interested in receiving the taxes and in exploiting the country’s sources. They destroyed the Castle of Limassol in 1539. Travelers who visited Cyprus in the 16th century commented on the poor condition of the local population in the towns of Cyprus. All the inhabitants of Cyprus were enslaved by the Venetians, and were obliged to pay a tribute of 1/3 of their income, whether this was part of their products of the land, e.g. wheat, wine, oil, or animals or of any other product. The Turks invaded Cyprus in 1570-1571 and occupied it. Limassol was conquered in July 1570 without any resistance. The Turks devastated and burned it. Descriptions of different visitors inform us that the town of Limassol looked like a village with a considerable number of inhabitants. The Christians used to live in small houses of such low height, that one had to bend in order to enter the house. This was deliberately chosen in order to prevent the Turks from riding a horse, to enter the houses.
During the years of the Turkish domination, Cyprus faced a general decline. The Turks did not contribute to any development. Greeks and Turks used to live in distinct neighborhoods.During the years of the Turkish domination, the intellectual standard of the Cypriots had declined. The lack of interest on the part of conquerors, the oppression and the high taxation were restraining factors for the intellectual development of the children. The church played an important role in the education of the country during the years 1754-1821. During those years new schools were set up in all the towns. Greek intellectuals used to teach Greek history, Turkish and French. The following schools operated in the town of Limassol:

The Greek School which was established in 1819
The First public school which was established in 1841
The Girls’ School which was established in 1861

The British took over in Cyprus in 1878. The first British governor of Limassol was Colonel Warren. He showed a particular interest in Limassol and even from the very first days the condition of the town showed an improvement. The roads were cleaned, the animals were removed from the center, roads were fixed, trees were planted, and docks were constructed for the loading and unloading of those ships that were embarked away from the shore. Lanterns for the lighting of the central areas were also installed in the I880. In 1912, electricity finally replaced the old lanterns. From the very first years of the British occupation, a post office, a telegraph office and a hospital began to operate. In 1880 the first printing press started working. It was in this printing press that the newspapers «Alithia» and «Anagennisis» were published in 1897. The newspaper «Salpinx» was published at the same time. At the end of the 19th century the very first hotels began to operate among these were «Europe» and «Amathus».
These changes that the British brought about contributed to the development of an intellectual and artistic life. Schools, theaters, clubs, art galleries, music halls, sport societies, Football clubs etc. were all set up and meant a great deal to the cultural life of Limassol. The rise of the population birth rate during the late 19th and 20th c. (1878-1960) was 70%. The number of inhabitants was 6.131 in 1881, while in 1960 the number had risen to 43.593. The number of the Greek population was estimated at 37.478, while the Turkish population at 6.115. Job opportunities concerned the wine and ceramic industries, as well as the commerce and tourism developed by the port.
 

 Last up dated 02.04.2010  
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