Explore Cyprus with Our Interactive Map

Featured Articles

Explore our top stories and discover ideas worth your time.

View all articles
The Gymnasium of Salamis

The Gymnasium of Salamis

The ancient city of Salamis on Cyprus holds some of the Mediterranean's most remarkable Roman architecture. Among its treasures, the Gymnasium stands out as a testament to how Romans blended physical training, social interaction, and luxury bathing into a single sprawling complex. Located on the eastern coast near modern Famagusta, this site offers visitors a direct connection to daily life in Roman Cyprus. The Gymnasium traces its roots to the Hellenistic period, when Greek colonists first established athletic training facilities in Salamis. However, the structure visible today belongs to the 2nd century AD, specifically during the reigns of emperors Trajan and Hadrian. The transformation came after a devastating Jewish revolt in 116 AD that left much of Salamis in ruins. Rather than simply repairing the damage, Roman engineers rebuilt the Gymnasium on a grander scale. The new complex featured a colonnaded palaestra, a large open courtyard surrounded by covered walkways on all four sides. This provided athletes with shaded areas for training and spectators with comfortable viewing spots. The Romans added sophisticated bathing facilities that transformed the Gymnasium from a simple training ground into a complete social center. An inscription found in the pavement credits Trajan with constructing the roof over one of the swimming pools, while multiple honorific decrees mention Hadrian as a benefactor and savior of the city.…

Read more
Painted Churches In the Troodos Region

Painted Churches In the Troodos Region

Ten small medieval churches scattered across the Troodos Mountains preserve some of the finest surviving examples of wall painting traditions in the Eastern Mediterranean. These UNESCO World Heritage sites document around 500 years of artistic development through richly decorated interior fresco cycles. Nine of the ten structures are located in the Nicosia District, while one, Timios Stavros in Pelendri, is situated in the Limassol District. The buildings date from the 11th to the 16th centuries and reflect a combination of high-quality metropolitan artistic styles and strong local artistic identity. These structures range from small rural chapels to larger monastic complexes such as Agios Ioannis Lampadistis. Their external simplicity contrasts sharply with their richly decorated interiors, where walls are covered with detailed narrative scenes and symbolic compositions. Historical Background Cyprus became part of the Byzantine administrative system in 965 AD when imperial forces re-established control over the island after a period of Arab raids. For the following centuries, the island functioned as a strategic frontier province in the Eastern Mediterranean. Urban centers such as Nicosia, Famagusta, Limassol, and Kyrenia expanded significantly during this period, supported by trade, agriculture, and artisanal production. During this relatively stable phase, wealthy patrons and local communities funded the construction and decoration of churches in the Troodos Mountains. The region’s isolated geography played a major role in…

Read more
Marki Alonia Bronze Settlement

Marki Alonia Bronze Settlement

Nestled in central Cyprus, Marki-Alonia stands as one of the most revealing prehistoric settlements from the Early and Middle Bronze Age. Between 1990 and 2000, archaeologists David Frankel and Jennifer Webb from La Trobe University uncovered approximately 1,500 square meters of this ancient village. Their excavations revealed a remarkable window into how people lived, built their homes, and organized their communities from about 2400 BCE to around 1900 BCE. Unlike many archaeological sites where researchers can only piece together fragments of the past, Marki-Alonia offers an unusually complete picture of Bronze Age life in Cyprus. Historical Background The story of Marki-Alonia begins with a small group of settlers who arrived around 2400 BCE. The founding population numbered just 40 to 50 people. Over the course of 500 years, the settlement experienced steady growth. By the Middle Cypriot I period, roughly 400 years after its founding, the population had swelled to about 400 inhabitants. This growth reflects the settlement's success in establishing a stable agricultural economy and developing social systems that could support larger groups of people. What makes Marki-Alonia particularly important to archaeologists is its unbroken occupation sequence. Many ancient sites show signs of sudden abandonment or catastrophic destruction, but Marki-Alonia evolved gradually. Buildings were renovated, rooms were reorganized, and structures were rebuilt or demolished as needs changed. This continuous…

Read more