If you are attracted to the ancient Greek culture, be sure to try to visit the settlement of Amathus near the city of Limassol in Cyprus . These two settlements are closely connected and are in close proximity to each other. What distinguishes them is that Limassol is a modern comfortable resort that hosts thousands of tourists, and its satellite city Amathus is classified as "dead" and is of interest not only to historians and archaeologists, but also to ordinary travelers. It is here that you can fully feel the spirit of antiquity and wander among the picturesque ruins.
A bit of history
The ruins of Amathus in Cyprus are among the best preserved at the moment. Once the city was the center of the worship cult of Aphrodite and, as scientists believe, arose around 1100 BC. It is believed that its founder was the legendary Kinir, the father of Adonis, who named the settlement in honor of his mother Amathus and built here numerous sanctuaries in honor of the ancient Greek goddess of love. From the locals you can hear another legend: allegedly in this area, in the sacred grove of Amathus, Theseus threw his beloved Ariadne, who later died here at birth and was buried near the sanctuary of Aphrodite. The city, which later arose nearby, received its name in honor of the grove.
It is believed that the first inhabitants of Amathus were Pelasgians. The settlement was built on a coastal rock, in the immediate vicinity of the natural harbor, therefore it was an important center of trade and sea traffic. Its inhabitants exported grain, copper and sheep products to Ancient Greece and the Levant.
What does Amathus look like today?
Among the attractions of Amathus, which should be inspected, we note:
- magnificent tombs dating from the early Iron Age (1000-600 BC);
- the temple of Aphrodite;
- The market, decorated with marble columns decorated with spiral ornament;
- acropolis;
- port;
- a basilica of the Byzantine Empire with gems encrusted with precious stones, and several other similar structures dating back to the Roman and Roman times;
- part of the city wall.
Remains of city walls make an indelible impression on tourists, as they descend directly into the sea. In fact, during the prosperity of Amathus this was not so, just the sea bottom absorbed part of the settlement.
How to visit?
Getting to the city is very simple. Since most travelers stay in the Limassol hotels , you can take bus number 30 and get off at the stop following the Amatus Hotel. Owners of rented cars should adhere to the embankment, which will take you directly to the ruins. The cost of visiting Amathus, located near Limassol, is 2.5 euros per person. Access to the ruins is open from 9 to 17 hours (in the summer until 19.30).
After going to the cashier, you immediately get to the lower city, where the remains of the market square, public baths and some other buildings are preserved. Directly from here you can climb the stairs to the acropolis, from which, however, there is little left, since the inhabitants of Limassol from here took stones for the construction of their homes. Here are the remains of defensive towers, and, climbing to the top of the hill, you will discover amazingly picturesque views. After all, Amathus was located on two hills, between which flowed the river.
Alas, many sights of the ancient settlement were taken from Cyprus. So, the found monumental bowl is stored in the Louvre, and an impressive and well-decorated sarcophagus can be seen in the New York Metropolitan Museum. But in the acropolis there is an impressive copy of the huge vase mentioned above, so you can quite feel the spirit of the time. Its height is 1.85 m, and the weight reaches 14 tons. Near the ancient city life is boiling: beaches with clean sand attract many lovers of Mediterranean relaxation, and numerous restaurants, hotels and clubs will not make you bored.
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