COVER GUIDE BOOK exofilo_F - ente nazionale per il turismo di cipro

PAFOS
Pafos, in the west coast of Cyprus, was the legendary birthplace of the Greek
goddess of beauty and love, Aphrodite. It is out of the seas of Pafos that
Aphrodite is said to have risen, and it was in her Temple at Palaipafos
(Kouklia), one of the most celebrated places in the ancient Greek world, that
the worship of the goddess flourished.
For six centuries during the Hellenistic and Roman periods this western town
was the island’s capital. Because of its importance, the whole town of Pafos
has been included in UNESCO’s world heritage list. Remnants of exquisite
floor mosaics depicting scenes from Greek mythology are considered to be
some of the best in the eastern Mediterranean as are underground tombs,
carved out of solid rock and decorated with Doric pillars. St. Paul together with
St. Barnabas, the founder of the Church of Cyprus, visited Pafos, where the
Apostle converted the Roman governor to Christianity.
Today Pafos is a charming town, with every amenity, as well as a romantic
harbour with a medieval castle where one can enjoy culture under the stars,
such as an annual opera performance.
Inland and in the mountainous regions lay superb monasteries and tranquil
villages, where old traditions and customs have been kept alive since time
immemorial.
Main places of interest:
Pafos Archaeological Museum
Byzantine Museum
Ethnographical Museum
Pafos Fort
Pafos Archaeological Park (Mosaics)
Tombs of the Kings
St. Paul’s Pillar
Sanctuary of Aphrodite at Kouklia
Monastery of Agios Neophytos
Agia Paraskevi Church
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