Kouklia

Wednesday, 23 June 2010 23:33

Written by Daintre Hart

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Kouklia

Kouklia is about 15 minutes west of Pissouri, 10 minutes from Paphos.    It is the site of ancient Palaeopaphos, one of the most important kingdoms of the ancient Cyprus, and the entire area – including the Village -  is one big archaeological site.

The most important of these for the visitor are:

• The Archaeological Museum in the Old Manor House
• The adjacent Sanctuary of Aphrodite, a  UNESCO heritage site.
•  The walls of the ancient city north of the Village
• The 2,500 year old limestone sarcophagus, now in the Paphos Museum.

However, there are many other sites, including the remarkably preserved mediaeval sugar mill just south of the main road, and the ruins of the Chapel of Constantine and Helen  on the road to Archimandrita.   Near by are also the  important  Chalcolithic (3900-2500 BC) excavation on the top of the escarpment above the Diarizos River bed at Souskiou.   The ancient church opposite the Manor House is also worth a visit.

Palaeopaphos was a great religious centre based on the cult of Aphrodite, probably from the Chalcolithic era.   The city was founded by a veteran of the Trojan War, Agaperon, who built the Sanctuary which was famous throughout the ancient world.    The history of Paleopaphos/Kouklia is explained at the Museum and illustrated with finds from the area.   Probably the most important find, however, the important painted  5^th Century BC limestone sarcophagus illustrated with Homeric scenes, is now in Paphos Museum.  The only other two similar sarcophagi in Cyprus were looted in the 19^th century by the American Consul Cesnola and are now in the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

The remains of of the walls and the gate of the Archaic period city (second half of the eighth century BC) are north of the City.   The siege of the City by the Persians was mentioned by Herodotus, and key constructions, such as the North City Gate and the tunnels of the besiegers can still be seen.

The proximity of Kouklia to the sea and the fertile plain below it have meant that it has been constantly inhabited.    During the mediaeval period when Cyprus was occupied by the Franks and Kouklia was a large royal estate, there was a flourishing sugar mill, which has been excavated just south of the main road, where remnants of all the key processes and the equipment used can still be seen.   The sugar mill is testament to a greater availability of water then, allowing the growing of sugar cane.

The 13^th century Lusignan Royal Manor House, which houses the Museum, is prominent on the hill above the main road.

Just a few kilometres north of the Village, in a beautiful setting on the Archimandrita road, are the restored ruins of the Chapel of St. Constantine and Helen, which was associated with a small monastery which housed 10-15 monks.   The church and the monastery were destroyed during the Ottoman occupation.     Just below the Chapel in the river-cut ravine are some rock-cut cells, said to have been occupied by Agios Neophytos, who abandoned them when his popularity became too great and he headed off to Tala to found the monastery there (where, still unable to escape his fan club, he dug his way further and further up the cliff, as you can see today).    There are paintings in the cave, and a tomb.

Like many of these abandoned rural churches, a service is celebrated there once a year.

Today the fertile plain still produces a wealth of crops:  cereals, fruit and vegetables:   vineyards (wine and table varieties), citrus, avocado, apricot, kiwi fruit, olives, legumes, nuts, potatos  and large variety of vegetables.   There is an annual peanut festival celebrated at neighbouring Mandria.

There are several tavernas in the Village and on Friday night there is traditional dancing and music at Thanasis Taverna.

There is a wealth of further information available on the remarkable history of Kouklia.