Nicosia and Paphos - From the Capital to the Tourist Centre
This page contains a short introduction
to the city of Nicosia; the last divided capital
city on Earth and to Paphos; one of the richest archaeological and historical
sites in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The
Major Towns of Cyprus
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A
brief overview of Cyprus
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NICOSIA (LEFKOSIA)
The town of Nicosia lies in the middle of the central plain of Cyprus.
It is the largest town and capital of the island since the middle
ages, with a present population of about 206,000 inhabitants. Since
the Turkish invasion in 1974, Nicosia has been divided into two by
the so called 'Green Line' and, since the unification of Berlin, is
now the last divided capital city on the planet. It consists of a
new and old town, harmoniously combined in a beautiful whole.
The new town, which spreads around the old, consists
of a large number of neighbourhoods. It is a cosmopolitan town with
wide streets, modern shops, banks, hotels, squares and fine residences.
It is the head quarters of the public services and all the foreign
embassies. The town lives and moves to European rhythms. In recent
years it has established itself as the Middle East centre for international
conferences.
The old town is enclosed within
the famous Venetian walls built in the 16th Century,
which are the most characteristic monuments of the
capital. They are 4.5 kilometers in length and have
eleven heart shaped bastions. The old town consists
of narrow labyrinthine streets and neighbourhoods.
THE PROVINCE OF NICOSIA
The province of Nicosia is in the centre of the island, and borders
with all the other provinces. The province includes about 30% of the
total area of the island and has a population of about 245,000. Most
of it consists of plain, though the west and south parts towards the
Troodos range are mountainous or hilly with a number of valleys.
Since tourism in Cyprus is mostly focused on the coastal
regions of Paphos, Limassol , Larnaca and Ayia Napa, about 47% of
the island's industrial units are located around the Cypriot capital
of Nicosia in the island's centre.
PAPHOS (PAFOS)
Paphos was the home and cult centre of Aphrodite Kypris, the major
goddess and patron deity of the island.
It’s a beautiful little town and plays an active role in the
social, political and cultural life of Cyprus. Paphos is the island’s
fourth largest town with a population of 47,000.
Since 1974, there has been major tourist development in
Paphos (Pafos), based on its natural beauty and rich history. It is
an ideal tourist centre for those seeking to relax and explore. To
the east of the town lies Petra tou Romiou, the legendary 'birth place'
of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. During the Hellenistic period
and into Roman times, Paphos was the capital of Cyprus.
THE PROVINCE OF PAPHOS
The province of Paphos occupies 15% of the total area of Cyprus in
the west part of the island. It has a total population of 53,000.
The northeast part of the province is part of the Troodos
mountain range. The inhabitants of the province formerly worked mainly
as farmers and with improvements to the irrigation system have led
in recent years to considerable agricultural development, involving
the growing of bananas and vines.
Since 1974 there has been a great development of tourism
based on Paphos’ natural beauty and rich history.
Makarios, the first president of the Republic of Cyprus,
and an outstanding figure in the history of the island, came from
a small village in the province of Paphos.
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Nicosia and Paphos - The divided capital and the tourist playground
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