World Heritage Identification Number: 79
World Heritage since: 1980
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Archaeological Sites
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇨🇾 Cyprus
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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Paphos: A Cultural Gem of Ancient Cyprus
Paphos (Pafos), located on the southwestern coast of Cyprus, is a city steeped in history and mythology, boasting a rich cultural heritage that dates back to the Neolithic era. This ancient city, which serves as the capital of the Paphos District, is one of the four largest cities in Cyprus, with an urban population of approximately 55,000.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Paphos has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. It was a centre of the cult of Aphrodite and of pre-Hellenic fertility deities. Aphrodite's legendary birthplace was on this island, where her temple was erected by the Myceneans in the 12th century B.C. The remains of villas, palaces, theatres, fortresses and tombs mean that the site is of exceptional architectural and historic value. The mosaics of Nea Paphos are among the most beautiful in the world.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (iii): Cyprus was a place of worship of pre-Hellenic fertility deities since the Neolithic period (6th millennium BC). Many of the archaeological remains are of great antiquity; the Temple of Aphrodite itself dates from the 12th century BC, and bears witness to one of the oldest Mycenaean settlements. The mosaics of Nea Paphos are extremely rare and are considered amongst the finest specimens in the world; they cover the Hellenistic period to the Byzantine period. One of the keys to our knowledge of ancient architecture, the architectural remains of the villas, palaces, fortresses, and rock-hewn peristyle tombs of Paphos are of exceptional historical value.
Criterion (vi): The religious and cultural importance of the cult of Venus, a local fertility goddess of Paphos that became widely recognized and celebrated as a symbol of love and beauty, contributes to the Outstanding Universal Value of this property.
Encyclopedia Record: Paphos
Paphos, also spelled as Pafos, is a coastal city in southwest Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In classical antiquity, two locations were known as Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. It is the fourth-largest city in the country, after Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca, with an urban population of 55,000.Additional Site Details
Area: 162.0171 hectares
Number of Components: 3
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions
Coordinates: 34.75833 , 32.40556
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© Unknown, CC BY-SA 2.5 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
