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

User Reviews

Fabien Cavasino (4 months ago)
There are not lots of things to see there but it's famous and it's an interesting stop for touristic tour

Vince Midmore (5 months ago)
When in Cyprus, it's amazing how many archaeological sites you just 'trip over'. Kouklia is a lovely traditional village as well.

Francis Muncaster (6 months ago)
Unable to visit properly as appeared to be locked up. A very serene place situated on top of a hill with good views.

Julius Washington (6 months ago)
It would have been a more pleasant experience if the structures outside were properly marked and labeled. If there's no information labeling the locations, it only looks like a bunch of rocks and rubble.

Piotr Czekalski (14 months ago)
Not so well maintained and rather poor storytelling. In general it requires a lot of investment to make it attractive place, unless you're deep in archeology.

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The Broch of Gurness is an Iron Age broch village. Settlement here began sometime between 500 and 200 BC. At the centre of the settlement is a stone tower or broch, which once probably reached a height of around 10 metres. Its interior is divided into sections by upright slabs. The tower features two skins of drystone walls, with stone-floored galleries in between. These are accessed by steps. Stone ledges suggest that there was once an upper storey with a timber floor. The roof would have been thatched, surrounded by a wall walk linked by stairs to the ground floor. The broch features two hearths and a subterranean stone cistern with steps leading down into it. It is thought to have some religious significance, relating to an Iron Age cult of the underground.

The remains of the central tower are up to 3.6 metres high, and the stone walls are up to 4.1 metres thick. The tower was likely inhabited by the principal family or clan of the area but also served as a last resort for the village in case of an attack.

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At some point after 100 AD the broch was abandoned and the ditches filled in. It is thought that settlement at the broch continued into the 5th century AD, the period known as Pictish times. By that time the broch was not used anymore and some of its stones were reused to build smaller dwellings on top of the earlier buildings. Until about the 8th century, the site was just a single farmstead.

In the 9th century, a Norse woman was buried at the site in a stone-lined grave with two bronze brooches and a sickle and knife made from iron. Other finds suggest that Norse men were buried here too.

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