Temple of Aphrodite

Kouklia, Cyprus

The Temple of Aphrodite was officially established by its cult with the construction of a hilltop temple on the important pilgrimage site of Palea Paphos. Although, it is said that the temple was erected in 1500-1300 BC, the idols and coins related to Aphrodite found here date back to 3800 BC. It stood on a knoll about 2 kilometres inland overlooking the sea. Soon, the town of Palea Paphos started forming around the temple.

The sanctuary of Aphrodite was first excavated by the Cyprus Exploration Fund in 1887. It was again explored by the British Kouklia Expedition in 1950-55 and has been dug up by a Swiss-German expedition since 1996. The Temple of Aphrodite is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Paphos.

References:

paphos.com

Address

F612, Kouklia, Cyprus

See all sites in Kouklia

Details

Founded: 1500 BC
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Cyprus

More Information

en.wikipedia.org
whc.unesco.org

Rating

4.2/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Petra tou Romiou (6,9 km)

Limassol Castle (42,9 km)
Paphos Castle (16,1 km)
Tombs of the Kings (17,2 km)
House of Dionysos (16,4 km)
House of Theseus (16,4 km)
Kourion (29,1 km)
Kykkos Monastery (34,3 km)
Odeon Amphitheatre (16,3 km)
Kolossi Castle (33,3 km)

User Reviews

Mark Hayes (3 years ago)
Nice grounds to visit. A lot of neat architecture and a great location to view the ocean

Helen Whitehouse (3 years ago)
Peaceful... could be very very hot.. Lovely scenery

Barry Roberts (3 years ago)
Beautiful place to enjoy Cyprus history, and ancient Greek ruins.

Stelios Kiliaris (4 years ago)
Very Interesting place. Worth a visit if you’re in Paphos. You get free entrance if you have a Student Card.

Linda White (4 years ago)
Quaint pool. Free is the bonus. You can walk up into the reserve too or take a 4x4.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Riccardo Ravelli

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