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LIMASSOL
MAP OF CYPRUS
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Historical Traces in LimassolContents:
1. Ancient History
2. Medieval Times3. Venetian Rule
4. Under the Ottoman Empire
5. British Colonial Administration
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1. Ancient History Limassol was built between the ancient towns of Amathus
and Kurion.
Graves found date back to 2000 BC and others back to the
8th and 4th centuries BC.
Amathus: human activity is evident from the earliest IronAge, circa 1100 BC.
According to a version of the Ariadne legend noted by
Plutarch, Theseus abandoned Ariadne at Amathousa, where
she died giving birth to her child and was buried in a sacred
tomb.
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Amathus Archaeological
Site
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Above: Temple of Apollo in
Amathus
Top Right: 5th century BC
sarcophagus found in
Amathus
Bottom Right: Fish
terracotta, 5th century BC,
found in Amathus
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Kurion: ancient town outside Limassol. Passed through
different phases from a Hellenistic, Roman, and Christian
periods. The town of Kurion has a very large Agora (market place)
and an early Christian Basilica.
The most spectacular site at Kourion is the Greco-Roman
theatre, or forum, which sits 2000 spectators. Gladiator
games were held there.
The whole town has beautiful floor mosaics.
Three kilometers from the town of Kurion is the sanctuary of
Apollo Hylates which has stunning Cypro-Corinthian
columns. Also in the town of Kurion are: public baths, the
Nymphaeum, the Necropolis, the Fountain House, the House
of the Gladiators and the House of Achilles.
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Kurion :
The
Amphitheatre, the
Mosaics (up), the
Temple of Apollo
(bottom left) and
the Basilica
(bottom right)
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2. Medieval Times (A) During the Third Crusade the king of England, Richard the
Lionheart was travelling to the Holy Land in 1191.
His fiance Berengaria and his sister Joan, Queen of
Sicily, were also travelling on a different ship. Because of
a storm, the ship with the queens arrived in Limassol.
Isaac Comnenus, the Byzantine governor of Cyprus,invited the queens ashore, with the intention of holding
them to ransom, but they wisely refused. So he refused
them fresh water and they had to put out to sea again or
yield to capture. When Richard arrived in Limassol and met Isaac
Comnenus, he asked him to contribute to the crusade for
the liberation of Holy Land.Isaac refused to give any help.
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Richard then chased him and finally arrested him;the entire island was therefore taken over by the
Anglo-Normans, bringing the long Byzantine
dominion of Cyprus to an end.
Richard celebrated his marriage with Berengaria in1191 who had received the crown as queen of
England in Cyprus. The marriage took place in the
Limassol Medieval Castle.
Richard destroyed Amathus and the inhabitantswere transferred to Limassol.
2. Medieval Times (B)
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In AD 1192, Cyprus was sold for the sum of
100,000 bezants to theTemplars, rich monks andsoldiers whose aim was the protection of the Holy
Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The Castle at Colossi,
Limassol, served as their Grand Commandery.
The Templars sold Cyprus to Guy de Lusignan,and the Frankish (Lusignan) Period started.
Latin merchants settled in Limassol and Limassol
during the 13th century enjoyed financial welfare
and prosperity.The Limassol harbour was a centre of
transportation and commerce, and contributed to
financial and cultural development.
2. Medieval Times (C)
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Colossi Castle (up) and
Limassol Castle (Right)
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Lusignan Period ended when Queen Catherine Cornaro
ceded Cyprus to Venice in 1489 and Venetian Period
started.
The Venetians strengthened the Castle of Limassol.
3. Venetian Rule
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Limassol was conquered in 1570 by the Ottomanswithout any resistance.
The houses had small doorways in order to
prevent the Ottomans from entering their houses
while riding a horse. Church: important role in education during the
Ottoman occupation. 3 schools operated in
Limassol:
1. The Greek School (established in 1819)
2. The first public School (established in 1841)
3. The Girls School (established in 1861).
4. Under the Ottoman Empire
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The Grand
Mosque or Kepir
Mosque in
Limassol
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5. British Collonial Administration Ottomans sold Cyprus to the British in 1878.
The first British Governor of Limassol improved the
condition of Limassol:
Roads were cleaned and fixed.
Animals removed from the centre.
Trees were planted.
Docks were constructed.
Lanterns for the lighting of the central areas of Limassol
were installed in 1880, replaced in 1912 by electricity.
Built a post office, a telegraph office and a hospital.
In 1880 the first printing press.
End of 19th century the first hotels.
Schools, theatres, clubs, art galleries, music halls, sport
societies.
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Limassol old town with
British colonial
architecture
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