LARNAKA

LARNACA REGION IN A SNAPSHOT

Larnaka District Archaelogical Museum

Plateia Kalogreon. Collection of finds from the Larnaka area dating from the Neolithic Age to the Roman period.
Mon-Fri: 07:30-14:30; Thurs: 15:00-18:00 (except July and August)

Pierides Museum

Zenon Kitieos 4. Remarkable private exhibition of Cypriot antiquities, originally collected by Demetrios Pierides (1811-1895) and further enriched by members of his family.
Mon-Fri: 09:00-13:00; 15:00-18:00;
Sat: 09:00-13:00; Sun: 10:00- 13:00

Larnaka Medieval Museum - Larnaka Fort

Larnaka sea front. Built in 1625, it was used as a prison in the first years of British rule. It houses the District Medieval Museum. The fort is also used as the Larnaka Municipal Cultural Center during the summer.
Mon-Fri: 07:30-17:00; Thurs: 07:30-18:00

Agios Lazaros Church

Plateia Agiou Lazarou. Saint Lazarus is the patron saint of Larnaka. After his resurrection by Christ, he lived here for another 30 years. He was ordained Bishop of Kition by Saints Barnabas and Mark. The 9th century church was faithfully restored in the 17th century, and the iconostasi is an excellent example of baroque wood carving. Eight days before the Greek Orthodox Easter the icon of Saint Lazarus is taken in procession through the streets of Larnaka.

Kition

Approximately 500 m. northeast of the Archaelogical Museum. One of the most important ancient city-kingdoms, with architectural remains dating back to the 13th century B.C. In about 1200 B.C. it was rebuilt by the Mycenaen Greeks, and excavations have revealed cyclopean walls made of giant blocks of stone and a complex of five temples.
Mon-Fri: 07:30-14:30; Thurs: 15:00-18:00

Kamares Aqueduct

Kamares area on the Larnaka-Limassol road. A beautiful 18th-century aqueduct which was in use until 1930.

Hala Sultan Tekesi

3 km west of Larnaka on the road to Kiti, passing the Larnaka airport. Built in 1816 over the tomb of Umm Haram, allegedly a relative of Prophet Mohammed. The mosque is an important place of Moslem pilgrimage ranking immediately after the shrines of Mecca, Medina, and Al Aqsha in Jerusalem.
1st June - 30th September: Daily 07:30-19:30
1st October - 31st May: Daily 07:30-17:00

Angeloktisti Church

Kiti village, 11 km west of Larnaka. Angeloktisti means 'Built by the Angels'. This 11th century Byzantine church was erected over the ruins of an Early Christian basilika. The original apse survived together with one of the finest pieces of Byzantine art, a rare 6th-century mosaic of the Virgin Mary and Child between the two archangels, which rivals the Ravenna Mosaics.

Royal Chapel

Pyrga village, 35 km south of Lefkosia, 32 km from Larnaka. Built by the Lusignan King Janus in 1421, it contains a wall painting of the king with his wife, Charlotte de Bourbon. Open any reasonable hour. The key can be obtained from the coffee shop near the chapel.

Stavrovouni Monastery

9 km off the Lefkosia-Lemesos Road, 40 km from Larnaka. Perched on a rocky peak, Stavrovouni means Mountain of the cross. According to tradition, it was founded in the 4th century by Saint Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, who left a fragment of the Holy Cross to the monastery. Women are not allowed in the monastery, though men may visit daily from sunrise to sunset, except from 12:00-13:00 (15:00 in summer), on Green Monday and the following day. There is an impressive ceremony and celebrations on 14th September. The Monastery of Agia Varvara (Saint Barbara) at the foot of Stavrovouni Hill, is easily accessible. The monks here have a high reputation for icon painting.

Choirokoitia

48 km south of Lefkosia, off the Lefkosia-Lemesos road and 32 km from Larnaka. Neolithic settlement dated to 7000 B.C. Excavations have brought to light one of the most important Neolithic cultures in the world with a defense wall, circular houses, tombs and many stone utensils. Mon-Fri:07:30-17:00 Sat-Sun:09:00-17:00

Kalavasos-Tenta

40 km from Larnaka, 2.5 km off the Lefkosia-Lemesos Road. Tenta, one of the most important Neolithic settlements in Cyprus, lies near the village of Kalavasos.

Lefkara

8 km from the Skarinou, off the Lefkosia-Lemesos Road, 40 km from Larnaka. A picturesque village, famous for its local lace known as 'Lefkaritika' and for its silverware. According to tradition, Leonardo da Vinci visited the village. The beautiful house of Patsalos houses the Lace and Silverware Museum of Lefkara. The church of Archangelos Michail in Kato Lefkara is of the single-aisled domed type and has wall paintings of the late 12th century. At Pano Lefkara there is the church of the Holy Cross with beautiful 18th century and 13th century artifacts. A religious fair takes place on the 13th-14th September, in celebration of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

Agios Minas Convent

Near Lefkara. 15th century monastery with a church at the center of the cloisters. The nuns, besides performing their religious rites, paint icons. The monastery is closed to visitors between 12:00-15:00 from Sunday to Friday and all day on Saturdays.

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