תמונה

The History of Cyprus

There is a long and rich history of this island and one that has withstood the sands of time with many ancient buildings still standing and open for visitors of today on the island to step back in time and see how the people of that time lived. In this history of the island there is the modern day history that has made the island what it is today, this is one of the only members of the European Union that has an elected Communist Government, and this government has not only ensured that tourism stays strong on the island they have also made sure the history of the island will be there for many more hundreds of years. They have not only opened the historic buildings to visitors they have also restored many of these buildings and are continuing to restore historic sites.

The history of the island was not influenced by one ruling power but by several cultures and it has left the island with pieces of all of these cultures. This history is filled with the influence of the ancients such as the Romans, the Greeks, the Egyptians and others that brought with them their influence to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus.

Cyprus also has history when it comes to mythology as this is said to be the birthplace of Aphrodite, Adonis and others. This makes for a very interesting history to explore on the few days that are cool and rainy. . Aphrodite the daughter of Zeus and Dione of who a statute can be found at the Nicosia Museum in Cyprus that has an approximate date of ca. 100 BC. and is believed to be of Roman origin.

There are monasteries that have a history so rich in religious history that have been said they were visited by several of the Apostles and these buildings have been preserved so that they may be visited today by visitors and residents of the island. Some of this history is found in the museums and churches that have been there since Byzantine rule and in earlier times and different rule. Visiting these sites can take days of time roaming through them and walking back into the past and the lives that these people that lived so long ago saw in daily life.

The island of Cyprus has fallen under many rules during its long history, the Phoenicians, the Assyrians, the Egyptians, the Persians, the Romans, the Crusaders, the Venetians, the Ottomans, the British and the Greeks

The Cypriot sculptor Pygmalion that spent his life on the island was the sculptor who was said to have carved a woman from ivory that he would fall in love with as the perfect mate. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses X Pygmalion was the sculptor who was portrayed and who fell in love with his lady of ivory, and as the story played out legend says that Pygmalion gave his statue presents and prayed to Venus to bring her to life. Venus heard the prayers and did so, Pygmalion and his lady of ivory married and had two children.

This is only a taste of the history that awaits not only the tourist but the home owner who has the actual time to see each part of this rich history that is hidden away on this island for all to see and walk into the past when mythology was a real part of life and where the Apostils were said to have walked. This is the kind of history that can only be found where it occurred, history is not something that can be moved, recreated, changed or built new.