on location: international ❖
he island nation of Cyprus is nestled between Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon and Syria in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The location helps explain the varied cultural and religious influences that have mixed here for over 10,000 years. It is the mythical birthplace of Aphrodite and Adonis and was on the missionary routes of Paul and other apostles. At various times it was governed by Greece, the Byzantines, France, Venice, the Ottomans and finally England. The Ottomans held Cyprus for 300 years and turned the churches into mosques. In 1960 the country gained its independence and in 1974 was divided after the Turkish invasion, al-
T
Photos by John Kloster
john kloster
though the world only recognizes the government of the south. The lower two-thirds is ethnically Greek, and the northern area is controlled by Turkey. There’s a U.N. buffer zone along the peaceful border, and there are still two U.K. military bases. Leisure Group Travel had the chance to visit Cyprus this spring along with a small group of tour operators and travel agents who specialize in religious travel. We did not visit the Turkish-controlled area but did hit the tourism highlights of the south. We began with a flight from Athens into Larnaka, on the eastern end of the island. (City names have English, Greek and Turkish names and they’re usually not the same. For purposes of this article, we’re using the Greek name, as that’s
Sunny
CypruS Churches, monasteries and ancient ruins enchant groups touring this Mediterranean isle at the crossroads of three continents
Charming villages dot the countryside.
Kykkos Monastery, the most important in Cyprus, has a Byzantine museum.
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The Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates is a major archaeological site on Cyprus.
what you’d see when you were there.) St. Lazaros Church in Larnaka is built over the tomb of the friend of Christ who was raised from the dead. He was the first bishop of Larnaka and is its patron saint. Larnaka is also the home of Xenon, the founder of stoicism. From Larnaka it is a scenic 90-minute drive through fertile but arid fields along the south shore to the island’s west coast and Pafos, now the country’s No. 1 tourism area due to its beautiful beaches and local crafts. Pafos is the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. Petra tou Romiou is the site of the rocks in the sea from which she rose. Pafos itself is on the UNESCO list of cultural and natural world heritage treasures. Extensive detailed mosaics from the remains of Roman villas can be found in the Houses of Dionysus and Theseus. The mosaics depict the major figures of Greek mythology and show aspects of daily life at the time. Another popular tourist spot in Pafos is the Tomb of the Kings, so named not because kings are necessarily buried there but because the tombs are so impressive. Burial caves from the fourth century B.C. are carved into the rock and decorated with LeisureGroupTravel.com
columns and capitals. Visitors can walk through the rooms, many underground, to explore this vast site.
First Christian Country The apostle Paul visited Pafos in the first century, along with apostles Mark and Barnabas, a Cypriot, to preach Christianity. Chrysopolitissa Church was built over the ruins of the largest early basilica on the island. The compound contains many fragments of buildings and columns, including St. Paul’s Pillar. According to tradition, Paul was tied to the pillar and given 39 lashes as punishment for preaching
Christianity. Later the Roman governor was converted to Christianity and made Cyprus the first Christian country in the world. Our tour group also visited the impressive monastery founded by hermit St. Neophytos and the Engleistra, a structure carved into the face of the mountain and containing his remote living quarters. The final hub city is Lemesos on the south coast, Cyprus’ main industrial and shipping area and the second largest city in the country. Its port hosts many cruise ships. Richard the Lionhearted came here during a crusade and was married at Lemesos Castle in 1191. Kolossi Castle is on the outskirts of the city. Built in the 1300s by French crusaders who controlled Cyprus for 300 years, it was a center for the production of wine and sugar, an important export. The ruins of the city of Kourion are nearby. This once important city contains a Roman villa with large public baths, a swimming pool and stadium. Gladiator games were held at the large Greco-Roman amphitheater, which is used today for musical and theatrical performances. Many of the artifacts found here were stolen in the 1800s by the U.S. consul to Cyprus and today are at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in
A Cypriot Feast
A
unique aspect of Cypriot cuisine is the meze. This is a meal served family-style, offering a broad selection of dishes to be eaten in small portions, similar to Spanish tapas or small plates. It may include bread, hummus, yogurt, salads, olives, Cyprus’ famous halloumi cheese, calamari, fish, lamb, chicken and dessert. Cyprus coffee is served with the finely-ground coffee grounds still in the cup, so one only drinks the top half of the cup. After it’s gone, the grounds are dumped into the saucer and someone experienced in these things reads your future in them.
August 2009 23
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on location: international ❖ New York. Not far away is the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates, the woodland god, with its famous columns. Lemesos is a convenient base from which to spend a day or two exploring the Troodos Mountains and another in Lefkosia, each less than an hour away. Lefkosia, the capital since the 10th century, is the country’s largest city. The wall Venetians built around the city in 1522 still stands. Lefkosia today has a more modern wall, constructed in 1974 when the Turks took the northern part of the island, dividing the country and creating the only divided capital city in the world. U.N. soldiers man a buffer zone that cuts the city, although the border is open and one is free to travel between the two sectors as long as one has entered the Republic through one of the legal ports of entry. The Archbishop’s Palace is at Archbishop Kyprianos Square. Next door is the Cathedral of St. Ioannis the Evangelist with picturesque frescoes, including one that shows the discovery of St. Barnabas’ tomb on the east coast of the island. Also in this area is the Byzantine Museum with over 200 icons. A final stop in the capital is the Cyprus Archaeological Museum with antiquities ranging from the Neolithic age to the Byzantine period. Our trip to the Troodos Mountains,
a half hour northwest of Lemesos, began with a stop in the village of Panagia. It is the home of Archbishop Makarios, who was both the archbishop and first president of independent Cyprus. His home is open to tourists, and he is buried near Kykkos Monastery. We then traveled to a 4,000-foot elevation through snowy forests to the Monastery of Kykkos, the most important and lavish of the country’s monasteries. It has one of three icons attributed to St. Loukas the Evangelist, an icon of the Virgin Mary from the palace at Constantinople. Archbishop Makarios served as a novice monk here. The Troodos Mountains are home to Cyprus’ painted churches, 10 of which are on UNESCO’s World Heritage list, plus dozens of charming villages. (All the churches mentioned below are on that list.) The wine village of Omodos is home to the 800year-old Monastery of the Holy Cross, which has a cross with the only fragment of the robe from the Crucifixion. Agios Ioannis Lampadistis Church is a monastery complex that consists of three churches—Agios Herakleidios, Ionnis Lampadistis and a chapel—that share a single roof. Agios Herakleidios church, built in the 11th century and decorated with the arms of various Latin knights and noble Frankish families, is dedicated to the man who was baptized here by Paul and Barnabas. Cyprus offers an intriguing combination of religious history, ancient villages and seaside resorts. Travelers will find a beautiful country and a blend of sights found nowhere else. LGT
PLAN IT! Cyprus Tourism Organization: 212-685-5280, visitcyprus.com
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