Visit the Sacred and Religious sites of Paphos travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises spa and resorts

With a long history involving everyone from the Greeks and apostles to the Crusaders and Ottoman Turks, Cyprus is positively brimming with fascinating and historical religious sites. Paphos is a coastal town in the southwest of Cyprus. In Antiquity two locations denoted Paphos (Old Paphos and New Paphos) which left its mark in history with number of houses excavated and several beautiful mosaics revealed.
Paphos is the mythical birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, sexual intercourse, and beauty, and the founding myth is interwoven with the goddess at every level. In Greco-Roman times Paphos was the island’s capital, and it is famous for the remains of the Roman Governor’s palace, where extensive, fine mosaics are a major tourist attraction. The Apostle Paul visited the town during the first century. The town of Paphos is included in the official UNESCO list of cultural and natural treasures of the world’s heritage.In the founding myth, even the town’s name is linked to the goddess, as the eponymous Paphos was the son of Pygmalion and his ivory cult image of Aprodite, which was brought to life by the Goddess as “milk-white” Galatea. The author of Bibliotheke, the Hellenistic encyclopedia of myth long attributed to Apollodorus, gives the genealogy. Pygmalion was so devoted to the cult of Aphrodite that he removed the statue to his palace and kept it on his couch. The daimon of the goddess entered into the cult image, and the living Galatea bore Pygmalion a son Paphos and a daughter Metharme. Cinyras, perhaps the son of Paphus, but perhaps the successful suitor of Metharme, founded the city under the patronage of Aphrodite and built the great temple to the goddess there. According to another legend preserved by Strabo (xi. p. 505), whose text, however, varies, it was founded by the Amazons.

Place to see at Paphos:

* Aphrodite’s Sanctuary - The Greeks agreed that Aphrodite had landed at the site of Paphos when she rose from the sea. According to Pausanias (i. 14), her worship was introduced at Paphos from Syria; but it is much more probable that it was of Phoenician origin. Before archaeology commenced it was understood that the cult of Aphrodite had been established before the time of Homer (ca 700 BC), as the grove and altar of Aphrodite at Paphos are mentioned in Odyssey (viii. 362). Archaeology has established that Cypriots venerated a fertility goddess before the arrival of the Greeks, in cult that combined Aegean with Eastern mainland aspects. Female figurines and charms found in the immediate vicinity date as far back as the early third millennium. The temenos was well established before the first structures were erected in the Late Bronze Age: “There was unbroken continuity of cult from that time until 391 AD when the Roman Emperor Theodosius I outlawed all pagan religions and the sanctuary fell into the ruins in which we find it today.”

Here the worship of the goddess centred, not for Cyprus alone, but for the whole Aegean world. The Cinyradae, or descendants of Cinyras, Greek by name, but of Phoenician origin, were the chief priests. Their power and authority were very great; but it may be inferred from certain inscriptions that they were controlled by a senate and an assembly of the people. There was also an oracle here. Few cities have ever been so much sung and glorified by the poets. The remains of the vast temple of Aphrodite are still discernible, its circumference being marked by huge foundation walls. After its overthrow by an earthquake, it was rebuilt by Vespasian, on whose coins it is represented, as well as on earlier and later ones, and especially in the style on those of Septimius Severus. (Engel, vol. i. p. 130.) From these representations, and from the existing remains, Hetsch, an architect of Copenhagen, has attempted to restore the building.

* Byzantine Museum of Arsinoe - The Byzantine Museum of Paphos is housed in a building owned by the Bishopric of Paphos next to the Bishopric itself and to the Church of Saint Theodoros. It was founded on the initiative of Bishop Chrysostomos II of Paphos in 1983, with the aim of preserving, protecting and projecting treasures of Byzantine art of the Paphos diocese. The greatest part of the exhibition space is taken up by representative icons from the entire diocese, dating from the 12th to the 19th centuries. Two double-panelled icons stand out, one of the Virgin Theoskepasti and Saint James Perse from the end of the 12th century, and the other of Saint Marina and Saint George from Filousa Kelokedaron, dating from 13th century. In the Museum there are also on exhibit detached wall frescoes from the Church of St. Theodoros in Choulou from the beginnings of the 12th century, sacred heirlooms, sacerdotal vestments, manuscripts and old printed books.

* Catacombs - The city contains many catacomb sites dating back to the early Christian period. The most famous is Saint Solomoni Church, originally a Christian catacomb retaining some of its twelfth century frescoes. A sacred tree at the entrance is believed to cure the ailments of those who hang a personal offering on its branches.

* Church of St. Paul’s Pillar (Hrysopolitissa) - This extensive site, which is still being excavated, was home to one of Pafos’ largest religious structures. What’s left are the foundations of a Christian basilica (built in AD 4), which demonstrate the size and magnificence of the original church. Green-marble columns lie scattered around the site and mosaics are still visible. The overall area is loosely roped off, so you can’t get a total picture of the remains.

* Nea Paphos Archaeological Site - The remains of villas, palaces, theatres, fortresses and tombs give the site its exceptional architectural and historic value. The mosaics of Nea Paphos are among the most beautiful in the world.

* Tombs of the Kings - The Tombs of the Kings is a large necropolis lying a little over a mile (two kilometres) north-west of Paphos harbour in Cyprus. The underground tombs, many of which date back to the 4th century BCE, are carved out of the solid rock, and are thought to have been the burial sites of Paphitic aristocrats and high officials up to 3 CE (the name comes from the magnificence of the tombs; no kings were in fact buried here). Some of the tombs feature Doric columns and frescoed walls. Archaeological excavations are still being carried out at the site. The tombs are cut into the native rock, and at times imitated the houses of the living.

* Agios Neophytos Monastery Palea - North-east of Paphos lies Ayios Neophytos Monastery, famous for its `Encleistra’, Enclosure, carved out of the mountain by the hermit himself, which boasts some of the finest Byzantine frescoes of the 12th and 15th centuries. Near by too is the painted village church of Emba (Empa).

The best weather is in the summer months, though it can get uncomfortably hot - 33C/91F in August. If you’re prepared to take a slight risk with the weather and go in late May or early September, temperatures should still be good, you’ll save money and avoid the crowds. Google Earth Placemark - Visit the Sacred and Religious sites of Paphos