Interesting Places in Cyprus
There are a lot of historical monuments dating back to the ancient times in Cyprus. Nevertheless, many of them suffered due to earthquakes and due to the carelessness of its next generations.
NICOSIA
Nicosia is located more or less in the middle of the island. Its rich history dates back to the Bronze Age. It is the capital city of the island from the 11th century AD. Nowadays, the history of the city and the present times constitute a great harmony. At the heart of the city, marked by the 16th century Venice Wall, there are museums, historical churches and medieval buildings thanks to which tourists may feel the atmosphere of the past years. Nicosia is divided into two parts. New Nicosia developed behind the wall and turned out to be a modern business and cultural centre. Only about a couple of miles further tourists may find fascinating and interesting places, mainly Byzantine churches and monasteries, archaeological excavations and charming villages. Here is a list of must-see places that shouldn’t be omitted while planning a visit to this wonderful city:
Cyprus Museum
A priceless and fascinating collection of Cypriot ancient antiquities and treasures from the Neolithic to the early Byzantine Period.
Kasteliotissa ( a Medieval mansion)
This mansion and its gothic elements were a part of the Lusignan Palace which was built at the turn of 13th and 14th century. The mansion has been restored lately and serves as a Cultural Centre in which various events take place. Then, it is also available for the audience.
The Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia
It is a historical museum of Nicosia which presents the life of the capital city from ancient times up to the present times.
Byzantine Museum & the Art Galleries
The largest collection of icons from the period from 9th to 18th century is displayed here. The Art Gallery collects oil paintings, maps and lithographs.
The Ethnographic Museum of Cyprus
It is the former Cyprus Folk Art Museum, established by a university association Plateia Arybisk. The wide collection of the Cypriot folk art of the 19th and the early 20th century includes wood carved objects, tapestry, embroidery, pottery, national costumes and hand-woven materials.
National Struggle Museum
It has a collection of documents, photos and other items as a reminder of the 1955 - 1959, i.e. the National Liberation Struggle period.
Agios Ioannis Cathedral (St John’s Cathedral)
It was built by the Archbishop Nikiforos in 1662. Its 18th- century walls were decorated with Biblical scenes and illustrate the discovery of the tomb of Saint Barnabas at Salamis. The Cathedral is dedicated to Saint John the Theologian (Agios Ioannos Theologos).
Cyprus Jewellers' Museum
A display of traditional jewellery from the end of the 19th century including ornaments, religious items, silver utensils of every day use and old tools.
Omerie Mosque
It is located near the Old Municipal Market within the walled city. It was originally a church converted into a mosque in 1571 by Mustapha Pasha who believed that the original 14th century church of St Mary's was built on the spot where prophet Omer rested when visiting Nicosia. Most of the original building was destroyed by the Ottoman artillery. The door of the main entrance belongs to the 14th century Lusignan building. Remains of a later Renaissance phase of the building can be seen at the north-eastern side of the monument.
Lidra Street- viewpoint
It is located on the 11th storey of the Shakolas building. Tourists may enjoy a very good view of the city.
Dali Region
We can find here the remnants of all historical periods. Nowadays, the excavations which take place here aim at finding something out about ancient Dali- one of the oldest city-states of Cyprus. At Pera Chorio tourists may visit the Bizantine church Agios Apostoloi.
TAMASSOS
It is located 20 kilometers south-west of Nicosia. Tamassos was a rich city-state famous due to its copper mines. Archaeological excavations at the site produced new findings: the royal tombs and copper workshops.
TROODOS
It is known for its excellent mineral water, which is bottled and sold all over the island, and for fruits which are grown here. The crops in the northern part of the mountains are small. Bigger vineyards and orchards are located on the southern hillside. The Solea valley and the neighbourhood of Marathasa are famous for its cherry, apple, pear and plum trees. Although the vineyards are growing on the whole island, the best crops are in the southern part of Troodos.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus constitutes more than 40% of the total area of the island and Turks living here constitute only 17 % of the whole Cypriot population. Smaller number of inhabitants and restricted truism result in the fact that cities and beaches in the northern part of the island are a bit deserted. Nevertheless, it does not mean that this area has no historical monuments and no other tourist attractions. On the contrary, on the occupied area there are the most beautiful cities in Cyprus. Picturesque Karpass hills hide a lot of fascinating places. This beautiful limey massif is three kilometers broad and runs from Lapta to Kantara along northern littoral zone and is more than 1000 meter high. Northern hillsides are covered with cypresses and pines. Archeological sites in Soloi and Vuni may well compete with historical monuments in the southern part of Cyprus. The remnants at Salamis are ranked among the most beautiful on the island. Nevertheless, these ancient cities are visited by a small number of tourists. Although there are very strict rules concerning the preservation of historical monuments, visitors may have a walk along the 2000-year old ancient street. The debris are covered a little bit with grass and bushes, however their old charm remained. There are not many beaches on the northern cost and even these, which are there, are difficult to find. In the west there is a beautiful beach in Morfu and a sandy zone along the cost, near Salamis.
Royal tombs in Paphos are relatively well preserved. Similar tombs forged in stone are also in the Near East and that is why archeologists attributed these findings to Phoenicians. Remnants from the Roman period like antique public baths and a theatre are in a city of Kourion which is located near Limassol. Roman villas of Dionysus and Theseus delight with their beautiful mosaics in Paphos. The first of them were discovered incidentally in 1962. Even nowadays the new items are being discovered and displayed for visitors. Tourists interested in the ancient world will be surprised by the fact how colorful these almost 2000-year old mosaics are and how much full of expression they still are.