Archaeological Park of Paphos opening hours. Archaeological Park of Paphos: description
Why go. If you've been to Pompeii or climbed the Acropolis, the Paphos Archaeological Park may seem unpretentious to you. But on the scale of Cyprus, this is the most important attraction, demonstrating the close, centuries-old cultural ties of the island with mainland Greece. The buildings and mosaics of the ancient era invariably arouse great interest among tourists.
How to get there. Near the park is the Paphos bus station, but this, unfortunately, is not the bus station where long-distance flights arrive. Thoth, Paphos-Karavel, is located 3 kilometers to the northeast. Therefore, arriving from Nicosia, Larnaca or Limassol, you need to transfer to bus routes 610 or 618. For those who travel from the Coral Bay area, where Russian tourists like to relax, it’s easier: the bus suburban traffic 615 will bring them to the Paphos-Kato bus station, from which it is very close to the entrance to the Archaeological Park.If anyone did not know, in Cyprus there is a left-hand traffic. Those. if you rent a car, you need to be on the alert all the time and try not to drive out of habit into the right lane, which is opposite on the island. If you still dare to rent a car, then for an excursion to the archaeological park of Paphos, parking is suitable, which occupies a vast space near the Kato bus station.
How to get. Access is open year-round, with the exception of a few religious holidays. IN high season, from mid-April to mid-September, the museum is open from 8:30 to 19:30, the rest of the time the staff locks the gates at 17:00. Entrance is paid, the ticket costs 4.50 euros. It is possible to save money if you buy a complex ticket that allows you to visit all the valuable sights of the island within one, three or seven days at no additional cost. As we have seen, a weekly ticket is optimal. It costs 25 euros and if you visit only 6 museums, then all the following ones will be a nice bonus.
What to do. Take water, friends, a good mood and an umbrella with you (an umbrella is a must, during the day the Cypriot sun fries mercilessly, and there is nowhere to hide from it in the archaeological park), prepare for a few hours of walking and start the tour. From the very first steps, the Archaeological Park of Paphos sets people up for a meeting with the beautiful: the walls of the ticket offices are decorated with mosaics with scenes typical of the ancient era.
Mosaic decorating the wall of the cash pavilion The area of the park is about 80 hectares, it is about 100 football stadiums. Fortunately, it is not necessary to plow through the entire vast space with your feet, it is enough to visit some of the most valuable sites, including the villas of Dionysus, Theseus and Aeon, where mosaic images created two thousand years ago have been preserved. Also of interest are the forum of Roman times, a small theater and the former temple of Asclepius. 
The theater building is perfectly preserved. The tour would be more exciting if we chose the right time for it. In my opinion, in the summer it is better to visit the archaeological park of Paphos either in the morning or in the late afternoon. During the day, the heat is just killer. I was especially indignant about this, since I was already torn away from enjoying the beach, and tried to spoil the mood of others by comparing what I saw with Pompeii. Like, here in Pompeii the amphitheater is much more spacious, in Pompeii the territory is larger, in Pompeii the mosaics are more beautiful. Friends then started to just spy on me, and they did it right: the mosaics in Paphos are very personal, to be honest. And in general, I liked the park, but the terrible heat put pressure on the psyche. Do not repeat our mistake, do not go on a tour at a time when the earth seems to be melting. 
Nutrition. As I said, before going to the park you need to stock up on water. Food is not necessary, in the heat there is not much desire. You can eat near the entrance to the park, on the waterfront, where there are several restaurants specializing in Cypriot cuisine.
On one of the hot August days of our stay in Cyprus, it was decided to explore Paphos.
The city is divided into upper (Pano Paphos) and lower (Kato Paphos) parts. In the upper part there are administrative buildings, schools, markets, and in the lower part, which stretches along the sea, all the main attractions are concentrated - the ruins of ancient castles, catacombs, a lighthouse and the central embankment of the city with shops, bars and other excesses for tourists.
According to the ancient Greeks, Paphos was the birthplace of the goddess of love Aphrodite (Petra tou Romiou), the city has many ruins left over from the Roman era, the Apostle Paul preached on the island... Paphos was cultural capital ancient Cyprus.
After lying on the beach in the morning, we moved to cultural heritage Cyprus in the heat! It was about three minutes walk from our hotel to the entrance to the Archaeological Park of Paphos. 
Of course, the first thing I especially wanted to see and photograph was the lighthouse, which had beckoned me all the previous two days.
In the direction of this, we moved) 
On the way we visited the Odeon - an amphitheater, which was built under the Romans in the 2nd century. n. e. and in those days it represented a more impressive building than it is now: it had 25 spectator rows, and not 12, as it is now, after reconstruction. The Odeon now hosts festivals and theatrical performances during the summer months. 
If you look facing into the auditorium of the amphitheater, then to the left are the ruins of Asklepion, where the inhabitants of ancient Paphos were treated and the god of medicine Asclepius was worshiped. 
There were not many wandering through the ruins .. 
The heat was merciless, grasshoppers and cicadas chirped, quick-witted lizards scattered everywhere. 
Having examined the ruins of Asklepion, after sitting in the shade of one saving tree, we moved directly to the lighthouse ..
Along the paths came across such brightness) 
We examined the buildings, apparently necessary for the lighthouse keeper .. everything was closed and a lock was embedded in the doors - we could not get into the lighthouse itself. 
Here such a cactus grew there - it seems that an alcoholic drink is made from its fruits. 
View of Paphos beach. 
Then, in small dashes, they moved towards the main beauties - the houses of Dionysus and the House of Theseus.
These are two large villas from the 3rd century AD, notable for their beautiful mosaics with scenes from ancient mythology, geometric patterns, hunting and grape harvest scenes. All mosaics and villa ruins are included in the list world heritage UNESCO. 
"Mosaic of the highest class also includes the floor paintings of the House of Theseus, which got its name from the mosaic depicting Theseus, Ariadne and the Minotaur, which has been perfectly preserved to this day. On the mosaic in the center of the round labyrinth is Theseus, at his feet is the Minotaur, over which a sharp sword is raised , on the right - the island of Crete, on the left - Ariadne, below - a labyrinth, which, like Crete, is personified. actors written in capital Greek letters. Today, this mosaic, in terms of the manner of execution and richness of colors, is considered the best of all those discovered so far in Cyprus.
Here she is. 
My Favorite Columns! 
In the 7th century, when Arab raids on Cyprus became more frequent, a powerful Byzantine fortress was built to protect Paphos, called Saranta Kolones - "Forty Columns". It is located on an elevated area coastline, a few hundred meters east of the Villa of Dionysus, and was once connected to the port by a narrow road. It was destroyed during an earthquake and has not been rebuilt since. 
Here is such a "Komodo monitor lizard" we met there)) 
Subsequently, the role of the fort began to be played by the so punished Paphos Castle, located in the Paphos harbor.
During the British occupation of the island, it served as a salt warehouse. In 1935, the castle was declared one of the main attractions of Paphos.
IN last years the castle serves as an object for the annual festival, held in September. This medieval fort used as a stage in the ancient Greek theater - there the actors change clothes before the performance. Theatrical stages and rows of seats for spectators were built on the shore. A real ancient fort and the sunset sky over the sea waves are a good decoration for theatrical performances. When we were there, Puccini's "La Boheme" was given for just three days.
In the center behind the rows, it is almost invisible (from the side of the embankment). 
Residence of Dionysus- a wonderful mosaic was accidentally discovered during construction work. It was assumed that such a richly decorated house belonged to the proconsul, but in the course of archaeological sites numerous other mosaics were discovered - that is, in Paphos it was customary to decorate houses in this way. This villa, with an area of 2000 m2 and consisting of 40 rooms located around an atrium, was built at the end of the 2nd century and was destroyed by an earthquake in the 4th century. Here you can see 15 mosaic floors with a total area of 556 m2. In the main hall, a large mosaic depicts the harvest festival and the procession of the god Dionysus - it was they who gave the building its symbolic name. In addition, mosaics with other mythological subjects are presented here: Narcissus admiring his reflection, Scylla, Pyramus and Thisbe (prototypes of Romeo and Juliet), Apollo and Daphne, Poseidon and Amymon, the abduction of Ganymede and others.
Theseus' dwelling- in terms of luxurious decoration and palace planning, presumably - the palace of the proconsul of Cyprus. It was built at the end of the 3rd century and damaged in the 4th century by an earthquake, then restored and finally destroyed during the Arab raids of the 7th century. The largest known Roman building in Cyprus: an area of about 10 thousand m2, consists of 100 rooms, forming 4 wings around the courtyard. In two wings there were residential, service and public premises, in the third - administrative and ceremonial, in the fourth - the ruins of the baths were found. In this building we see mosaics of the 3rd, 4th and 5th centuries, the oldest of which is the defeat of the Minotaur by Theseus (hence the name of the dwelling). In the audience hall, a 5th-century mosaic depicting scenes from the birth and life of Achilles has been partially preserved.
Residence of Orpheus- built at the same time as the dwelling of Dionysus, and according to the same architectural plan. To reuse the building material, the painted walls of the building were dismantled. There are three mosaic floors in the dwelling (the rest were earthen), they also depict the heroes of myths: the battle of Hercules with the Nemean lion, the Amazon with a horse and Orpheus with wild animals.
Aeon's Dwelling– the exact construction plan is not known, since the excavations have not yet been completed. The building was located opposite the villa of the proconsul. Some of the frescoes have been restored and are in the Paphos Archaeological Museum. The skillful mosaics of this building are distinguished by a large color spectrum, the plots are also taken from mythology: the appearance of the god Dionysus (reminiscent of the Byzantine image of the birth of Christ), the meeting of Zeus with Leda, the scene of the competition in beauty between Cassiopeia and the Nereids, where Aeon acts as a judge; Apollo and Marsya. All these mosaics were made in the 4th century.
Finds made during archaeological excavations are exhibited in the Archaeological and Ethnographic Museums of Paphos.
Paphos Archaeological Park (Αρχαιoλογικό Πάρκο Πάφου/Paphos Archaeological Park) is one of the most important attractions of Paphos, which is an excavation of objects from several eras, located under open sky in the area of Kato Paphos, near the Harbor and.
The complex of the Archaeological Park includes: the ruins of the castle of Forty Columns, four villas (the House of Dionysus, the House of Aeon, the House of Theseus and the House of Orpheus), in which mosaic floors have been preserved, as well as the agora, odeon, asklepion and the latest construction of the park - a lighthouse. Excavations are still ongoing in the park.
In 1980, the entire area of "Old" Paphos, which includes the archaeological park, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its outstanding ancient remains.
Entrance to Paphos Archaeological Park
The main entrance to the complex is located near the Harbor, near the bus station Harbor. Walking along the embankments of Kato Paphos, it is simply impossible to pass by this impressive park.
The entire complex of the park is surrounded by a fence (chain-link), on the northeast side there was a hole in the fence, through which you can also get into the park for free.
Main entrance to the complex
The box office is also located here. Ticket price: 4.50 Euro - adult, 2.25 Euro - people over 65 years old. There are toilets near the entrance. Park Hours: from 08:30 to 19:30 hours, ticket sales until 19:00 hours.
At the entrance, they give out a map of the archeological monuments of Kato Paphos, on which, among other things, the objects of the Archaeological Park are marked.
Required time to visit the park- at least 2 hours, ideally around 3-4 hours.
Objects of the Archaeological Park of Paphos
Entering inside the park, we see a vast open area and a staircase leading up.
Climbing up the stairs, it turns out to be near the visitor service center. Souvenirs are sold in the center, and you can also watch a documentary film about archaeological excavations on the screen.
The paths in the park are mostly covered with small stones, you will need comfortable shoes. There is very little shade in the park, so on a hot sunny day it is better to take a hat and a supply of drinking water with you, wear closed clothes or apply sunscreen liberally on your face. open areas body. Water in the park is sold only in one place, in vending machines near the house of Dionysus, at a price of 0.50 Euro per bottle. Here you can buy chocolates, chips and other snacks in vending machines. Chocolate bar - 1 Euro, chips, croissants and cookies - 1.50 Euro each.
House of Aeon
From inform. center, passing through the park, we get to the house of Aion (House of Aion), part of which is located indoors. It was once a rather large villa, but only three rooms have now been excavated.
In the building you can see the central part of the house, apparently serving as a kind of dining-living room. In this place, the mosaic floor is made in the form of drawings with scenes from ancient legends and tales.
It is the floor from the House of Aion that is considered one of the most exceptional works of ancient Roman art, if not the only work of its kind in Paphos. This house dates from around the middle of the 4th century AD. and is named after the god shown in the middle of the mosaic - "The House of Aeon".
The two smaller rooms had geometric mosaics with simpler patterns.
Also in the house of Eon is part of the restored wall of the villa.
House of Theseus
Near the house of Eon are the remains of the House of Theseus - the largest of the houses of the Archaeological Park.
Theseus' house was built in the second half of the 2nd century over the ruins of earlier houses and was used until the 7th century.
Apparently, this villa was once the residence of the Roman proconsul. In the center of the building was a courtyard, on four sides of which there were rooms, some of which were intended for official functions, and the other for private use and ancillary visits.
So far, only the southern half of the villa has been completely excavated, where you can see the remains of walls and columns, as well as mosaics.
The most striking part of Theseus' house are the remains of the so-called 36 rooms, on the floor of which you can see a floor mosaic, presumably of the 3rd-4th centuries. It is thanks to the drawings of this mosaic, depicting Theseus and the Minotaur, that the villa got its name - "Theseus' House".
Remains of a mosaic of room No. 40
Part of the mosaic of room No. 76
House of Orpheus
The ruins of the house of Orpheus border on the ruins of Theseus' house.
The House of Orpheus dates back to the 2nd-3rd centuries. This is, perhaps, by far the most inconspicuous of the houses in the park, since only small sections of wall remains and stones can be seen in the house.
As the sources “say”, there are mosaics in the house of Orpheus from the third century AD, which have three mythological representations: “Orpheus and his Lyra”, “Hercules and the Lion of Nemeus” and “Amazon”, but they are not currently visible to the public.
House of Dionysus
From the house of Orpheus we go along the paths and go out to the alley leading to the house of Dionysus.
In a small stone building, to the right of the closed part of the house of Dionysus, there are vending machines for drinks and snacks.
Part of the remains of the House of Dionysos is in the open, while the other and most valuable, the one with the most mosaics preserved, is located in a closed visit. Presumably, the house was built at the end of the 2nd century and was destroyed and abandoned after the earthquakes of the 4th century AD.
In the interior of the house of Dionysus one can see mosaic floors, probably from the 2nd or 3rd centuries, decorated with mythological, vintage and hunting scenes. The house is named after the god Dionysus, who is depicted on several mosaics.
Photo of the remains of the house of Dionysus, located in the open air
Lighthouse of Paphos
Moving north from the house of Dionysus, we come to the latest and most restored attraction of the park - the lighthouse of Paphos.
Near the lighthouse there is a small observation deck, which offers views of the Mediterranean Sea, the same name and the surrounding area.
Odeon and Asklepion
Near the lighthouse, a little to the east, there are the remains of the Odeon - an amphitheater of the second century, next to which there are also the remains of the temple of Asclepius (Asklepion) - in fact, a former medical hospital.
Agora
Opposite the odeon and asclepius, there is a desert area with some remains - this, apparently, is the central part of the Agora or the Forum of the city of Nea Paphos - a large city square, which has a rectangular shape and is lined with stone slabs.
The territory of the Archaeological Park of Paphos behind the lighthouse
Behind the lighthouse, to the north of it, there is a vast area of the park, where excavations are underway and there are the remains of an underground complex and an early Christian basilica. Unfortunately, the ruins behind the lighthouse have no identification marks and it is very difficult to understand what they are.
Forty Columns Castle
From the ruins of the northern part of the park we are on our way to the last of the objects - the ruined castle of Forty Columns.
Saranta Kolones Castle or Forty Columns Castle (Castle Saranta Colones) is believed to have been built at the end of the 7th century as a Byzantine fort to protect the port and city of Nea Paphos from Arab raids, and then, after the Frankish conquest of Cyprus, somewhere in In the 1200s it was rebuilt into the castle of Lusignan, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1223 and never rebuilt.
The building was a compact fortress, surrounded by a massive external solid wall with eight towers and a moat that surrounded the castle. Access to the castle was possible through a wooden bridge that ran over the moat.
The name of the castle "Forty Columns" comes from a large number of granite columns that were found in this place, they were probably once part of an ancient agora.
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Archaeological Park of Paphos (Paphos, Cyprus): detailed description, address and photo. Opportunities for sports and recreation, infrastructure, cafes and restaurants in the park. Reviews of tourists.
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Kato Paphos - the coastal zone of Paphos, its historical part, where the most attractions are collected. This is a real open-air museum, in which ancient temples, villas, the ruins of a fortress and others coexist. architectural monuments many of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The buildings of this old quarter come from different eras and cultures, from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century BC. e. and until the Middle Ages, among them there are representatives of the ancient empires of Rome, Greece, Byzantium, the Ottoman Empire. Ancient Roman villas of the 3rd-5th centuries BC. e. with mosaic floors take pride of place in the rich collection of architectural monuments of ancient Paphos.
Discovery history
As a rule, finds of ancient structures happen during construction or cultivation of the land. The acquisition of the treasures of Kato Paphos also happened thanks to the luck of a simple farmer. A local farmer, while plowing his field near the city harbor, found a fragment of an old mosaic, which turned out to be a decoration of the flooring of an ancient Roman villa. Hundreds of archaeologists immediately rushed here, and soon they dug up a whole ancient city with streets, houses, temples, bridges, a market, a theater and other buildings surrounded by a fortress wall. Although work is still ongoing, the objects of the historical complex are open to tourists.
Ancient Odeon
Villas
The most valuable part of this architectural collection are the ruins of villas from the 3rd-5th centuries AD. e. These wealthy houses were named after gods and heroes ancient rome(Dionysus, Hercules, Aeon and Theseus) and preserved their mosaic images with scenes from ancient legends. Separate mosaics are assembled from very small elements, which makes them very voluminous and realistic. Local guides fill the tour with ancient Greek and Roman legends, bringing their characters to life for a while.
The oldest in this city-museum is the Villa of Dionysus, built in the 4th century BC. e. before the arrival of the Romans in Cyprus. There are many recognizable characters on the floor mosaics: the monster Scylla described by Homer in the Odyssey, the handsome Narcissus admiring his reflection in the water, the 4 seasons and other heroes and deities.
The villa, where the Roman proconsul Theseus supposedly lived, looks like it came off a postcard - several dilapidated columns rise against the blue sky.
The mosaic on the floor of the house tells about the battle of the ancient Greek hero Theseus with the half-bull Minotaur, which took place in a labyrinth, from which the hero was then able to get out with the help of his beloved Ariadne.
Buildings of the ancient city
Nearby are the ruins of several major ancient buildings. The once majestic castle-fortress Saranda Kolones was built by the Byzantines in the 7th century on 40 basalt columns, which is why it was named so. In the 12th century, the Crusaders captured the fortress, but then it was not damaged. It was destroyed by an earthquake that hit the city in the 13th century, after which only the arches and part of the basements remained from the building.
Near market square Agora is the ancient amphitheater Odeon. Built in the 3rd century AD. e., it was covered, but over time the upper part of the building collapsed. Now the temple of art has been partially restored, it hosts open-air concerts and performances.
The lighthouse of Paphos is much younger than its neighbors - it was built in 1888 by the British and is considered the most famous operating lighthouse in Cyprus. Its searchlight rises above the sea at a height of more than 30 m, and with observation deck good views of the surroundings.
A tour of Kato Paphos takes several hours, so it is best to schedule it in the morning or evening to avoid the heat of the day. A wide-brimmed hat, closed shoes and plenty of water will help you feel comfortable during such a long hike.
At the entrance to the territory of the archaeological park, a map is issued, on which all interesting objects. In the pavilion, you can watch a documentary and historical film about the progress of archaeological work, and then go on a photo hunt for the treasures of the ancient world.
Practical Information
Address: Paphos, Paphos Archaeological Park. GPS coordinates: 34.756453,32.4072714. Web site .
Opening hours: daily from 8:00 to 17:00 (November-March), from 8:00 to 18:00 (April-May, September-October), 8:00-19:30 (June-August). The cost of a ticket to the museum is 4.5 EUR. Prices on the page are for October 2018.