Cyprus History and Culture

Choirokoitia, a Neolithic village of round stone houses, is one of the best-preserved prehistoric settlements in the eastern Mediterranean. In the Bronze Age the island grew wealthy exporting copper, and the metal's very name may derive from Cyprus.

Greek city-kingdoms such as Salamis, Kourion and Paphos flourished, and Aphrodite, said to have been born from the foam at Petra tou Romiou, became the island's goddess. Under Rome, the villas of Nea Paphos were floored with mosaics that rank among the finest anywhere. In the Byzantine era, small mountain churches in the Troodos were covered with frescoes, now a World Heritage Site.

Later the Lusignan dynasty built Gothic cathedrals in Nicosia and Famagusta (Ammochostos / Gazimağusa), the Venetians raised Nicosia's star-shaped walls, and Ottoman rule added mosques, caravanserais and hammams. The Republic of Cyprus became independent in 1960 and joined the European Union in 2004. See the regional history timeline.

Lefkara lace, hand-stitched in the village of the same name, is recognized by UNESCO and was admired, legend says, by Leonardo da Vinci. Silversmiths, potters and basket weavers keep village crafts alive, and the island's Byzantine icons are treasures of devotional art.

Architecture tells the whole story: Roman theaters at Kourion and Salamis, painted Troodos chapels, Gothic abbeys such as Bellapais (Beylerbeyi), Venetian bastions and Ottoman mosques. Contemporary art thrives in Nicosia's galleries and in Limassol's seafront spaces.

Cyprus has some of the sunniest weather in Europe, with roughly 300 days of sun a year. Saint Lazarus is said to have lived in Larnaca, where his church still stands. Mouflon, a wild sheep, roams the Troodos and appears on Cypriot coins. Plan your trip with our Cyprus luxury travel guide and our page on Limassol hotels.