Cyprus: 10,000 years of history and more

The Temple of Apollo in Cyprus

Story & Photos By Stan Wawer

Cyprus has passed through the hands of all the usual Mediterranean suspects over the last five or six millennia.

It took the country a long time to gain its independence — 6,000 years, give or take a thousand or two.

Cyprus, because of its strategic crossroads location, was always under somebody’s rule until 1960 when England set it free. Before Britain, it was the Greeks, Egyptians, Venetians, Romans and Ottomans (Turks).

Remains from the oldest known settlements in Cyprus date from the Neolithic Age (8200-3900 BC). The Cyprus Museum in Nicosia houses archeological treasures of Cyprus with 14 galleries of original art pieces from the 8th millennium BC to the end of antiquity. It’s haunting to look at artifacts that date back more than 6,000 years. A plowing scene made of clay dates to the Early Bronze Age (2500-1900 BC). I mean, we’re talking BC here.

A symbol of a swastika appears on one piece of pottery dated 1,050 BC. But this swastika came from India and it symbolizes fertility.

The Greeks started taking control during the Bronze Age (2500-1050 BC). Cyprus totally became a Greek island from 1050-750 BC. The cult of the goddess Aphrodite flourished at her birthplace of Cyprus during this period.

Assyria, Egypt and Persia conquered Cyprus in a period from 750-325 BC and in 333 BC the city-kingdoms of Cyprus welcomed Alexander the Great, king of Macedonia. The Hellenistic Period (325-58 BC) saw Cyprus become part of the Ptolemies of Egypt. The Ptolemies abolished the city-kingdoms and unified Cyprus.

The Roman Empire took control from 58 BC to 330 AD. During this period, Cyprus became the first country to be governed by a Christian.

The Byzantine Period lasted from 330 AD to 1191 AD. After the division of the Roman Empire Cyprus came under the Eastern Roman Empire, known as Byzantium, with Constantinople as its capital and Christianity became the official religion.

The period 1191-1192 brought Richard the Lionhearted and the Knights Templar (defenders of the popes) to Cyprus. Isaac Comnenus, self proclaimed emperor of Cyprus, had a behavior problem with survivors of a shipwreck involving ships of Richard’s fleet on their way to the Third Crusade. Richard in revenge defeated Isaac, and took possession of Cyprus. He married Berengaria of Navarre in Limassol where she was crowned Queen of England. A year later he sold the island for 100,000 dinars to the Templars who resold it at the same price to Guy de Lusignan, deposed king of Jerusalem.

The Frankish Period extended from 1192 to 1489. The Catholic Church officially replaced the Greek Orthodox.

This keeps getting better. Queen Catherina Cornaro ceded Cyprus to Venice in 1489. Enter the Venetian Period (1489-1571). Venetians viewed Cyprus as a last bastion against the Ottomans in the east Mediterranean and fortified the island. Up went the walls. But they didn’t keep out the Ottomans. In 1570 Ottoman troops attacked Cyprus, captured Nicosia, slaughtered 20,000 of the population and lay siege to Famagusta for a year. On annexation to the Ottoman Empire, the Latin leadership was either given the boot or converted to Islam and the Greek Orthodox Church was restored.

Crete, just down the Mediterranean from Cyprus, also built walls because they were under Venetian rule during the same period. The Venetian walls in Cyprus, which completely encircle the old city, possess 11 heart-shaped bastions. There were only three gates to the city in the north, south and east. The most famous gate, Famagusta Gate, has been restored and is now the Nicosia Municipal Cultural Center. During Venetian rule, the gate opened in the morning and closed in late afternoon.

But wait! Under the 1878 Cyprus Convention, Britain assumed administration of the island until 1960. It was declared a Crown colony in 1925. According to the London-Zurich Treaty, Cyprus finally became an independent republic on Aug. 16, 1960.

Turkey invaded Cyprus on July 20, 1974 and occupied 37 percent of the island. Cyprus is now a member of the EU, but it was on the pound system until 2008. Nicosia, Cyprus’ capital of 300,000, is a divided city — the last divided city in the world.

“There has been constant talk since 1974 of unification. I am optimistic and believe it will happen,” said Christina Mita, our guide and a Cypriot.

Archbishop Makarios III was president of Cyprus from 1960 until his death in 1977. He fled the country in 1974 when the Turks invaded. Much of north Nicosia is a ghetto, and not unlike East Berlin before German unification.

Christina doesn’t like to go to north Cyprus. “I don’t want to see my country under occupation. It is Cyprus but it is totally transformed into Turkey. “

There is one demarcation point that has been open since 2004 to tourists with passports. The UN patrols the buffer zone. The Turks brought 200,000 settlers to north Cyprus. The 2004, 9,000-page Annan Plan wanted to create a federation, but Greece voted no. “We would have to change governments every six months,” Christina said. Barbed wire runs across the buffer zone.

There is rumor that Turkey, in order to join the EU, would have to give up its occupation of Cyprus.

The Republic of Cyprus, however, is a beautiful, progressive country with well-preserved ruins, gorgeous beaches (especially Pafos and Limassol with their five-star hotels), warm and friendly people (English is Cyprus’ first foreign language) and a growing economy fueled by tourism and citrus and wine exports.

On my first full day in Nicosia, I visited the Chrysaliniotissa Crafts Centre, an interesting complex of eight workshops nestled around a central courtyard, designed on the basis of a traditional inn architectural concept. It accommodates units engaged in contemporary applications of traditional crafts — linens, traditional clothing, weaving, woodworking, pottery. There are some incredibly beautiful crafts. About 30 work at the Crafts Center and are paid by the government. Women used to make everything in Cyprus. When they worked in the fields they wore pants under their dresses.

The best times to visit Cyprus, according to Christina, are spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October). “You can be sure it won’t rain and you will have temperatures about 30 Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). Guides work every day during spring and autumn.”

St. John the Theologian Church, built in 1661, is incredibly ornate. Frescos depicting scenes from the Bible and the discovery of the tomb of Saint Barnabas at Salamis adorn the walls.

“We keep our icons down low. We believe this helps us communicate better,” Christina said.

The Byzantine Museum and Art Galleries behind the church hold the largest collection of icons on the island, covering the period from the ninth to the 18th centuries. No artist’s names appear on the art. “The importance was the icons, not the artist,” Christina pointed out.

The museum has some fresco fragments that were looted by the Turks from the walls of the Church of Antiphonitis. They were illegally exported from Cyprus and sold in Europe by Turkish dealers. They were recovered with help from the German Police Authorities and returned to Cyprus in December 1977. The paintings are dated to the early 15th century and are now under glass.

Mosaics of Jesus Christ, St. Matthew, St. James, St. Luke, St. Bartholomew and an archangel date to the fifth and sixth century.

Cyprus, being at the crossroads of civilizations, has an archeological history from many countries. Many treasures were taken away during the 19th century and are now in the Louvre and the Museum of Art in New York. Under the Turks, half of what archeologists found they could take with them.

The Neolithic settlement of Choirokoitia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Excavations on the site began in 1936 and since 1976 have continued by a French archaeological mission under the direction of Alain Le Brun.

The first period of habitation took place from 7000 to 5800 BC. The deceased at Choirokoitia were buried in pits cut into the floors of the 10-to-13-foot circular structures. They were often accompanied by objects of everyday life such as stone vessels and necklaces.

My favorite sites were on the road to and in Pafos — Kourion, the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates, Tombs of the Kings, Kolossi Castle, Pafos Medieval Fort, Kato Pafos Archaeological Park, The Mosaics of Pafos and Petra Toy Romiou — birthplace of Aphrodite.

Kourion is an important ancient city-kingdom and one of the most spectacular archaeological sites on the island where excavations still bring new treasures to light.

The magnificent Greco-Roman Theater was originally built in the second century BC and now is fully restored and used for musical and theatrical performances. The House of Eustolios, originally a private Roman villa, became a public recreation center during the Early Christian period. It consists of a complex of baths and a number of rooms with beautifully preserved fifth century AD mosaic floors.

I loved the well-preserved restored ruins at the Sanctuary of Apollo. Apollo Hylates, god of the Woodland, was the protector of the city of Kourion.

The cult of Apollo was celebrated here from the eighth century BC to the fourth century AD. The southwest side of the temple has been restored and excavations also have revealed other structures such as the bath complex, the pilgrim halls, the palaistra and a holy precinct. Only priests could enter the temple with its statues of gold.

The Tombs of the Kings date back to the fourth century BC. Wealthy people and high officials rather than kings were buried here, but the magnificence of the tombs gave the cemetery its name. The impressive underground tombs are spread over a vast area.

Richard the Lionhearted hung out at Kolossi Castle en route to the Third Crusades.

It was originally constructed in 1210. Kolossi Castle was rebuilt in its present form in the middle of the 15th century.

It was the home to the Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem near the end of the 13th century. In the 14th century it came for a few years under the domain of the Knights Templar. Nearby are the ruins of a sugar mill dating to the 14th century.

Pafos Medieval Fort was originally a Byzantine fort built to protect the harbor. It was rebuilt by the Lusignans in the 13th century, dismantled by the Venetians in 1570 and rebuilt by the Ottomans after they captured the island in the 16th century.

Kato Pafos Archaeological Park and The Mosaics of Pafos feature some remarkable mosaic floors. The archaeological site includes areas and monuments from prehistoric times up to and including the Middle Ages, with most remains dating to the Roman period.

The House of Dionysos has mosaic floors dating from the third to the fifth century AD and are considered among the finest in the Eastern Mediterranean. They mainly depict scenes from Greek mythology.

Homer, the Greek philosopher, wrote many poems about Aphrodite, the mythical goddess of love and beauty. In one of his poems, he wrote that Aphrodite came out the foam of the sea at Petra Toy Romiou (The Rock of the Greek).

The Baths of Aphrodite is on the Akamas Peninsula, a short distance from Pafos. According to legend, Aphrodite used to take her beauty baths in a pool of a natural grotto, shaded by a fig tree, which still can be visited. Also according to legend, if you splash water on your face from the grotto, you will have eternal youth. I tried it and I’m living proof that it is only that — a legend.

Not all of Cyprus lives in antiquity. the country has a blossoming agrotourism program, wine country tours, inviting villages and Land Rover tours to Avakas Gorge.

The Cyprus countryside is endowed with inexhaustible historical and natural and human riches. Its traditional villages, enhance and complement a wonderful natural environment, with their local character, traditional architecture and village planning.

Cyprus is one of the few places in the Mediterranean where sea turtles come ashore to breed on the island’s sandy beaches and are strictly protected, as is the elusive mouflon, a rare wild mountain sheep roaming the Troodos mountainsides.

I visited Goudi and Lofou, two villages involved in agrotourism. Lofou is about 16 miles northwest of Limassol. It is one of the most quaint and historical villages on the island. Built of stone, it acquired its present name in the Byzantine years because of its location at the top of a hill about 2,625 feet above sea level.

The village and surrounding area cultivate mainly vineyards, while the natural, wild vegetation is quite distinct and includes a great variety of herbal plants. Today Lofou, population about 15 (2,000 in season) preserves its traditional architecture to a great extent, while in recent years there has been an increasing interest in the restoration of its old houses. In its stone paved alleys, the visitor will feel that unique sense of looking back into stories and legends of the past.

I also visited the village of Tsada, outside of Pafos, where I learned how to make halloumi cheese from Panayiotis Leonidou, his wife Theodosia and daughter Maria. Afterward, they insisted I sit down for a tasting and a toast with a shot of Zivania, a strong alcoholic drink called the “Divine Spirit.” I might add that it was 10:30 in the morning.

Avakas Gorge is known as the “best walking tour in Cyprus because there is some danger,” according to Michalis Yiangou, our Range Rover guide. The complete tour takes about four and a half hours and includes lunch. At the end of a 4.3-mile trail, the tour continues upward about 1,969 feet out of the gorge.

One glance at the map of Cyprus shows the dominant position of the Troodos Mountains, set at the island’s center, reaching almost 6,300 feet.

Nine Byzantine churches in the Troodos Mountains are included in the official UNESCO World Heritage list.

Mt. Troodis offers hiking, fishing and skiing among its activities. More than 127 species of endemic plants and flowers welcome visitors to the area.

The monastery of the Holy Cross or Timiou Stavrou (in Greek) is in the central square of Omodos village in the Troodis area. According to tradition the monastery was established before St. Helen's arrival to Cyprus in 327AD.

There are invaluable relics in the Monastery of the Holy Cross that have made it reputable throughout the world including the Great Cross with the Holy Rope. It is a wooden cross with a gold and silver-plated cover, placed in a special canopy at the icon screen of the temple. The Agio Schinio (Holy Rope) is within an area sheltered by a golden wicket that opens and closes. It is a piece from the rope that the Romans used to fasten Christ upon the cross and it is the only extant one in the world.

Holy Cross was once a sanctuary from the Turks for Greek Cypriots, a place where they couldn’t be arrested.

Joining in a Cypriot tsifteleli dance at Limassol’s Istorikon Restaurant filled with revelers was my last memory of Cyprus. Most were in costume enjoying the Limassol Carnival, which leads up to Green Monday, the beginning of the Greek Orthodox lentil season. They laughed good-humoredly and clapped their hands as I attempted the tsifeleli dance following several shots of Zivania for courage.

Cypriots are proud people, dreaming that someday Cyprus will be one country again. It’s a long shot, but so was the tearing down of the Berlin Wall.

If you go

Wear all-terrain shoes when visiting the ruins or hiking in Avakas Gorge. I wore my hiking boots in Avakas Gorge and slipped on moss-covered rocks several times. The gorge is slippery and you have to constantly cross a stream.

The high season for tourism is May-September. Day temperatures average 98 degrees in July and August. Dress accordingly. It is a Mediterranean climate. Temperatures the rest of the year remain around the mid 60s. You will need a light jacket or sweatshirt or sweater when traveling to the mountain villages. I was there at the end of February and early March. The only time I needed a jacket was when I visited Lofou and Omodos — two quaint mountain villages.

The safari company our tour group used to visit Avakas Gorge is M & Y Yiangou Tours. The Web site is: www.zyperntours.com; phone: (25) 7484444; e-mail: paeonia.travel.tours@cytanet.com.cy

Cyprus is on the Euro. When I was there it was still on the pound.

How to get there

KLM and Northwest Airlines fly from LAX to Amsterdam and then on to Cyprus via Cyprus Airlines, which takes you to Larnaca International Airport.

Where to Stay

Cyprus has several outstanding four- and five-star hotels including Anassa, Elysium and Le Meridien.

The Anassa is in Polis near the Akamas Peninsula. It is a magnificent five-star resort with a wide range of health and beauty treatments. The architectural firm was Sandy & Babcock of California while the interior design firm was James Northcutt Associates in L.A. For information, go to www.thanoshotels.com or e-mail anassa@thanoshotels.com. Summer rates run from about $230 a night to almost $4,000 a night for a two-bedroom villa for four.

The Elysium is another stunning five-star property adjacent to the ancient Tombs of the Kings in Pafos. The Opium Health Spa is world class. For information go to www.elysium.com.cy or info@elysium.com.cy. Summer rates run from about $172 per night to about $2,500 a night for the two-bedroom Royal Suite.

Le Meridien Limassol Spa and Resort is an oasis with its own Mediterranean beach. Its spa was the winner of the World’s Leading Spa Resort at the World Travel Awards 2005. For information, go to www.lemeridien-cyprus.com or e-mail enquiries@lemeridien-cyprus.com. Rates are about $172 a night to about $712 a night. Rates are higher for Citrus Garden Villas and suites.

If you’re looking for a more affordable stay, try the Kiniras Hotel in the heart of Pafos’ old town and a short walk to the beach. It is a small, traditional house with 18 rooms. The rooms are clean and comfortable with all the usual amenities. Call 00357-6-241604 or check out the Web site at www.kiniras.cy.net.

For information about agrotourism accommodations, go to www.yourcyprus.com/agrotourism.

Agrovino in Lofou offers a room with courtyard and breakfast for about $100 a night any time of year. The room has a kitchen area, sitting area with fireplace, bathroom and sleeping area. For more information or reservations, go to www.lofou-agrovino.com.