World Heritage Identification Number: 79
World Heritage since: 1980
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Archaeological Sites
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇨🇾 Cyprus
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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Paphos: A Cultural Gem of Ancient Cyprus
Paphos (Pafos), located on the southwestern coast of Cyprus, is a city steeped in history and mythology, boasting a rich cultural heritage that dates back to the Neolithic era. This ancient city, which serves as the capital of the Paphos District, is one of the four largest cities in Cyprus, with an urban population of approximately 55,000.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Paphos has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. It was a centre of the cult of Aphrodite and of pre-Hellenic fertility deities. Aphrodite's legendary birthplace was on this island, where her temple was erected by the Myceneans in the 12th century B.C. The remains of villas, palaces, theatres, fortresses and tombs mean that the site is of exceptional architectural and historic value. The mosaics of Nea Paphos are among the most beautiful in the world.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (iii): Cyprus was a place of worship of pre-Hellenic fertility deities since the Neolithic period (6th millennium BC). Many of the archaeological remains are of great antiquity; the Temple of Aphrodite itself dates from the 12th century BC, and bears witness to one of the oldest Mycenaean settlements. The mosaics of Nea Paphos are extremely rare and are considered amongst the finest specimens in the world; they cover the Hellenistic period to the Byzantine period. One of the keys to our knowledge of ancient architecture, the architectural remains of the villas, palaces, fortresses, and rock-hewn peristyle tombs of Paphos are of exceptional historical value.
Criterion (vi): The religious and cultural importance of the cult of Venus, a local fertility goddess of Paphos that became widely recognized and celebrated as a symbol of love and beauty, contributes to the Outstanding Universal Value of this property.
Encyclopedia Record: Paphos
Paphos, also spelled Pafos, is a coastal city in southwest Cyprus and the capital of the Paphos District. In classical antiquity, two locations were known as Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. It is the fourth-largest city in the country, after Nicosia, Limassol, and Larnaca, with an urban population of 55,000.Additional Site Details
Area: 162.0171 hectares
Number of Components: 3
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions
Coordinates: 34.75833 , 32.40556
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© Unknown, CC BY-SA 2.5 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
World Heritage Research
Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Paphos from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.
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Time Series Analysis of Landsat Data for Investigating the Relationship between Land Surface Temperature and Forest Changes in Paphos Forest, Cyprus
A significant increase of 4.6% in land surface temperature (LST) was observed in Paphos Forest, Cyprus, between 2013 and 2018, contrasting with a 2.7% decrease from 1993 to 2000. This study utilized Landsat-5 and Landsat-8 imagery to analyze the relationship between LST and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) over two time periods, revealing a negative correlation between these variables. Notable changes in NDVI trends were linked to climatic conditions and biotic factors such as reduced pityocampa attacks and locust invasions. The research highlights the potential of combining LST and NDVI analysis for identifying forest decline, offering valuable insights into environmental monitoring using satellite data.
Andronis, V., Karathanassi, V., Tsalapati, V., Kolokoussis, P., Miltiadou, M., & Danezis, C. (2022). Time Series Analysis of Landsat Data for Investigating the Relationship between Land Surface Temperature and Forest Changes in Paphos Forest, Cyprus. Remote Sensing, 14(4), 1010. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14041010
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Sound Archaeology: A Study of the Acoustics of Three World Heritage Sites, Spanish Prehistoric Painted Caves, Stonehenge, and Paphos Theatre
Ritual sites across human cultures, from prehistoric caves to ancient theatres, exhibit unique acoustic properties that contribute to their ritual significance. This study reveals that the Spanish Prehistoric Painted Caves (up to 40,000 years old) demonstrate diverse natural acoustics, including strong reverberation and bass effects, while Stonehenge's acoustics evolve with its design, creating noticeable changes as one moves toward the circle's center. In contrast, Paphos Theatre in Cyprus (2,000 years old) showcases intentional acoustic design, with optimal sound quality varying from front to back rows. The research employs a range of methods to address challenges in standard acoustic analysis, highlighting how sound shapes ritual spaces and enhances their contextual meaning.
Till, R. (2019). Sound Archaeology: A Study of the Acoustics of Three World Heritage Sites, Spanish Prehistoric Painted Caves, Stonehenge, and Paphos Theatre. Acoustics, 1(3), 661–692. https://doi.org/10.3390/acoustics1030039
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The Importance of Accounting for Atmospheric Effects in the Application of NDVI and Interpretation of Satellite Imagery Supporting Archaeological Research: The Case Studies of Palaepaphos and Nea Paphos Sites in Cyprus
Atmospheric correction significantly impacts NDVI values derived from satellite imagery, particularly in agricultural seasons, with relative differences reaching up to 50% if atmospheric effects are ignored. This study analyzed eleven Landsat TM/ETM+ images from 2009–2010 over archaeological and agricultural areas in Paphos, Cyprus, applying the modified Darkest Pixel (DP) algorithm for atmospheric correction. Results demonstrated that while absolute NDVI changes were small (0.06), they were statistically significant when assessed via Student’s t-test. The findings underscore the critical role of atmospheric correction in enhancing image interpretation and detecting archaeological crop marks, especially under conditions of minimal water vapor optical thickness. This research highlights a key consideration for multi-temporal satellite imagery analysis in archaeology.
Agapiou, A., Hadjimitsis, D. G., Papoutsa, C., Alexakis, D. D., & Papadavid, G. (2011). The Importance of Accounting for Atmospheric Effects in the Application of NDVI and Interpretation of Satellite Imagery Supporting Archaeological Research: The Case Studies of Palaepaphos and Nea Paphos Sites in Cyprus. Remote Sensing, 3(12), 2605–2629. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs3122605
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