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Introduction
Paphos District is one of the six districts of Cyprus and it is situated in the western part of Cyprus. Its main town and capital is Paphos Town. The entire district is controlled by the internationally recognized government of Cyprus. There are four municipalities in Paphos District: Paphos, Yeroskipou, Pegeia, and Polis Chrysochous. The area of the district is 1,396 km², which constitutes the 15.1% of the total area of the island, and the population in 2011 was 88,266. Its coastal area is characterized by gulfs and coves, capes and points, beaches and tiny isles and banana growing. In the North-west of the District is the Akamas peninsula which contains a national park where the reproduction of the green sea turtle is a protected activity. Paphos /ˈpæfɒs/ (Greek: Πάφος [ˈpafos]; Turkish: Baf) is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city, New Paphos, lies on the Mediterranean coast, about 50 km (31.07 mi) west of Limassol (the biggest port on the island), which has an A6 highway connection. Paphos International Airport is the country's second-largest airport. Near Palaepaphos (Old Paphos) at the seaside of Petra tou Romiou is the modern mythical birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, and the founding myth is interwoven with the goddess at every level, so that Old Paphos became the most famous and important place for worshipping Aphrodite in the ancient world. In Greco-Roman times, Paphos was the island's capital, and it is well known for the remains of the Roman governor's palace, where extensive, fine mosaics are a major tourist attraction. Paul the Apostle visited the town during the first century AD. The town of Paphos is included in the official UNESCO list of cultural and natural treasures of the world's heritage. Paphos enjoys a subtropical-Mediterranean climate, with the mildest temperatures on the island. Paphos has been selected as a European Capital of Culture for 2017, along with Aarhus, Denmark.
History
Archaeologists report that the site of Old or Upper Paphos has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. It was a centre of the cult of Aphrodite and of pre-Hellenic fertility deities. Aphrodite's mythical birthplace was on this island, where her temple was erected by the Myceneans in the 12th century BC. The Greek names of two archaic kings, Etevandros and Akestor, are attested in Cypriot syllabary on objects of seventh century BC found in Kourion. In Kato (Lower) or "New" Paphos, the Paphos Archeological Park contains remains of villas, palaces, a theatre, an odeon, fortresses, and tombs of the Classical, Hellenistic, and Roman periods mean that the site is of exceptional architectural and historic value. The mosaics of Nea Paphos are among the most beautiful in the world. The port of Paphos was rebuilt by Nicocles, the last king of Paphos, at the time of Alexander III of Macedon. It became the capital of the island, replacing Salamis, during the Hellenistic era, under the successors of Alexander III of Macedon – the Ptolemies, who favoured a location closer to their capital, Alexandria. The theatre, located in the northeastern area of the ancient city, is dated to approximately the end of the fourth century BC and has been under excavation by the University of Sydney since 1995.
Old & New Paphos
New Paphos (Nea Paphos), the currently inhabited town, was founded on the sea, near the western end of the island, and possessed a good harbour. It lay about 60 stadia or 12 km northwest of the old city. It, too, had a founding myth: it was said to have been founded by Agapenor, chief of the Arcadians at the siege of Troy, who, after the capture of that town, was driven by the storm that separated the Greek fleet, onto the coast of Cyprus. (Pausanias viii. 5. § 2.) An Agapenor was mentioned as king of the Paphians in a Greek distich preserved in the Analecta; and Herodotus (vii. 90) alludes to an Arcadian "colony" in Cyprus. Like its ancient namesake, Nea Paphos was also distinguished for the worship of Aphrodite and contained several magnificent temples dedicated to her. Yet, the old city seems to have always retained the preeminence in this respect, and Strabo tells that the road leading to it from Nea Paphos was annually crowded with male and female votaries resorting to the more ancient shrine, and coming not only from the latter place itself, but also from the other towns of Cyprus. When Seneca says (N. Q. vi. 26, Epistle 91) that Paphos was nearly destroyed by an earthquake, it is difficult to say to which of the towns he refers. Dio Cassius (liv. 23) relates that it was restored by Augustus, and called "Augusta" in his honour; but though this name has been preserved in inscriptions, it never supplanted the ancient one in popular use. Paphos is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (xiii. 6) as having been visited by Paul of Tarsus, when it appears to have been the residence of the Roman governor; it is said that Paul converted the governor, Sergius Paulus, to Christianity. Tacitus (Hist. ii. 2, 3) records a visit of the youthful Titus to Paphos before he acceded to the empire, who inquired with much curiosity into its history and antiquities. (Cf. Suetonius Titus c. 5.) Under this name the historian doubtless included the ancient as well as the more modern city: and among other traits of the worship of the temple he records, with something like surprise, that the only image of the goddess was a pyramidal stone. There are still considerable ruins of New Paphos a mile or two from the sea; among which are particularly remarkable the remains of three temples which had been erected on artificial eminences.
Modern Paphos
Paphos, however, was gradually losing much of its attraction as an administrative centre, especially after the founding of Nicosia. The city and its port continued to decline throughout the Middle Ages and Ottoman Rule, as Nicosia, and the port city of Larnaca was gaining in importance. The city and district continued to lose population throughout the British colonial period and many of its inhabitants moved to Limassol, Nicosia and overseas. The city and district of Paphos remained the most underdeveloped part of the island until 1974. After 1974, there was rapid economic activity in all fields, especially tourism in the Kato Paphos area. The government invested heavily in irrigation dams and water distribution works, road infrastructure and the building of Paphos International Airport, the second international airport in Cyprus. In the 1980s, Kato Paphos received most of the investment. In the 1990s, Coral Bay Resort was further developed and in the 2000s, the Aphrodite Hills resort was developed. Today Paphos, with a population of about 32,754 (as of 2011), is a popular tourist resort, home to an attractive fishing harbour. Ktima is the main residential district while Kato Paphos, by the sea, is built around the medieval port and contains most of the luxury hotels and the entertainment infrastructure of the city. Apostolou Pavlou Avenue (St. Paul's Avenue), the busiest road in Paphos, connects the two quarters of the city. It begins near the city centre at Kennedy Square and ends outside the medieval fort at the harbour. This year, Paphos is the European Capital of Culture. Many projects have been completed mainly in the city center over the past 2 years. The city is expected to receive thousands of new visitors this year to experience and tour this beautiful city. Many new restaurants and shops are opening giving a new boost to the local community.
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Landmarks & Attractions
There is much to see and do within Paphos District, here are some of the best, which can be found on the above map: BEACHES: Municipal Beach, Kato Paphos; Coral Bay Beach; Petra tou Romiou Beach, Kouklia. PARKS & WIDLIFE: Paphos Zoo, Coral Bay; Aphrodite Waterpark, Kato Paphos; Eleouthkia Park, Anarita. SIGHTSEEING: Paphos Archaelogical Park, Kato Paphos; St. Paul's Pillar, Kato Paphos; Paphos Mosaics (The House of Dionysos), Kato Paphos; Paphos Fort, Kato Paphos; Ayia Kyriaki Chrysopolitissa Church, Kato Paphos; Tombs of the Kings, Kato Paphos; Aphrodite's Rock, Kouklia; Akamas Peninsula; Chrysoroyiatissa Monastery, Pano Panagia; Adonis Baths Water Falls, Koili; Tsangarides Winery, Lemona.
Economy
The economy of Paphos depends largely on tourism and there are four resorts in the district: Kato Paphos, Coral Bay, Latchi, and Aphrodite Hills. The largest by far is Kato Paphos which employs over half of Paphos' population. Farming, especially banana, grape and tobacco cultivation, also contributes significantly to the economy of Paphos. Paphos has a 100 km (62 mi) water distribution network which irrigates 5,000 ha of land. Paphos has the island's second international airport. Paphos Harbour is not important in terms of international trade as most shipping uses the harbour at Limassol. Paphos Marina has cultural and historical importance and is also used for fishing.
Climate
Paphos enjoys a subtropical semi-arid climate, with the greatest amounts of precipitation mainly occurring from mid-November to March. It almost never rains in the summer, (with an average of 0.1). In July and August, humidity measurements can go up to 85%. Snowfall occurs rarely, approximately every 10 years, and does not normally lead to any significant disruption. Snowfall does occur in the hills of Tsada, 6 km (4 miles) north, almost annually. The last significant snowfall in the city centre occurred in the winter of 2001. Heat waves in July and August are relatively common, when hot air masses from the Sahara desert drift over to Cyprus causing temperatures to rise. Cyprus has experienced drought-like conditions and the current trend of global warming may increase the severity of these conditions. In the summer of 2008, Cyprus had to ship water by tanker from Greece to meet demand on the island. However, since then, water conditions have eased due to good winter rains.
Transport
Like the rest of Cyprus, there are no trains, so to get around involves either walking, a bicycle, a private car, taxis or using local buses. The local bus company is OSYPA LTD. Buses are an easy way to move within Paphos tourist area. There is frequent bus connection between Kato Paphos, Tombs of the Kings, Chloraka, Kissonerga, Coral Bay and Paphos Center. Moreover, there are buses running from Kato Paphos and Paphos Centre to Paphos International Airport. The most frequently-used bus routes are: Bus 615: Kato Paphos - Coral Bay Bus 610: Kato Paphos - City center (Municipal Market) Bus 611: Kato Paphos Seafront Bus 612: Kato Paphos - Paphos Airport The port today serves as a small marina and a fisherman shelter and has a capacity of 300 boats. It is probably the top tourist destination of the city with plenty of restaurants and cafés. The castle's square hosts Aphrodite festival every September since 1998. Cargo and cruise ships use the Limassol Port 60 km (37 mi) away. A marina is planned to be constructed 10 km (6 mi) north, next to Coral Bay in Kissonerga. The new marina will serve up to 1,000 boats
Hospitals & Medical Centres
Paphos District has one main municipal hospital, Paphos General Hospital. Residents possessing a Government Hospital Card are able to use its facilities for a small fee. There are also a number of excellent Private Hospitals, posssessing modern up to date facilities and equipment, in particular the Evangelismos and Iasis Hospitals.
Education
The Paphos municipality has 38 primary state schools, 8 secondary state schools (known as gymnasiums and lyceums), 4 privately run English schools and one privately run Russian school. The town of Paphos has one higher education institute that started accepting students in June 2010. The Neapolis University Paphos (NUP) is a private university in Paphos, Cyprus, that offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in Economic and Business Studies, Law, Health Sciences, Architecture & Land and Environmental Sciences,Theology and Greek Civilization.
Arts & Culture
Paphos is well known for its cultural and historical interest, including the Tomb of the Kings, Mosaics, Castle and numerous Churches, however it is also popular for its festivals and annual events. During September, Paphos holds an annual Opera, Paphos Aphrodite Festival in the open air at the harbour. The Castle provides an unusual backdrop and stage for the performance. Another annual event is Open Studios Cyprus. Taking place during selected weekends in October; selected artists open their studio doors to the general public, providing an informal environment to view and discuss the work with the artist. This event is endorsed by the Cyprus Department of Education & Culture, Cultural Services, the Cyprus Tourist Organization and UNWTO In addition to Open Studios Cyprus, there are a number of privately owned galleries and exhibition spaces. Details and dates for the regular events can always be found in the local English newspapers, such as Cyprus Weekly and Cyprus Monthly. Maintained by the Paphos Municipality, is the popular exhibition and conference space, Palia Ilektriki. In the centre of the town, this converted electricity building plays host to both conferences and exhibitions throughout the year. In 2009, 2010 and 2011 Open Studios Cyprus, used this location to launch the event with an Opening Art Exhibition. Visitors were able to meet some of the participating artists, view an example of their work whilst enjoying a glass of the local wine. Popular for its local wines, Paphos has a number of wineries, including SODAP and Sterna Winery. Visitors are always welcome at these venues to sample the local wines they have on offer. In 2012, Paphos won the title as European Capital of Culture 2017, under the Executive Direction of Ektor Tsatsoulis and the Artistic Director Spyros Pisinos.
Sport & Recreation
Paphos has a long history in sports, with several football, basketball and volleyball teams. The Pafian gymnastic club is called Korivos, and it owns (via the Cyprus Athletic Organisation) the local stadium which is called Pafiako and the arena for volley and basket venues called Aphroditi. The most successful team of Paphos is the volleyball club, Pafiakos, who have been Champions of Cyprus three times (the last in 2006). Dionysos, a volleyball team from Stroumpi (a village of Paphos), plays in the First Division as well. Both teams use the indoor Aphrodite arena. The football club in Paphos is called AEP Paphos. The team was founded in 2000 and is currently in the Cypriot First Division. The team plays in Pafiako Stadium, while they train in other grounds located in Geroskipou. In 2006, the second Commonwealth Tenpin Bowling Championships were held in Paphos. Paphos has its own Tenpin bowling alley at Cosmic World, and a second near Polis, Magic Bowl. There are also four outdoor bowls clubs in Paphos District - Aphrodite, Aliathon, Coral Bay and Peyia.
Shopping
The most recent addition to the shopping experience in Paphos, is the Kings Avenue Mall, which is an impressive full concept shopping mall ideally located in the heart of the town. You can find great places to shop, eat and have fun. A number of high quality supermarkets can also be found in the Paphos area, including two Lidls, two Papantoniou's and the impressive Phillipos Hypermarket in Coral Bay.
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