Larnaca
Larnaca, Larnaca also, Greek Larnaca ( Λάρνακα outdated, Λάρναξ ), Turkish Larnaka, is a port city in the southeast of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus with 77,000 inhabitants (as of December 31, 2004) and the capital of the eponymous district.
History
The city kingdom of Kition was one of the most important ancient city-kingdoms. Building remains rich in the 13th century BC. Capital was at Kition Larnaca today. Later Phoenicians founded a powerful kingdom here.
In the scale, a temple of Melkarth ( Esmun ), worshiped in Roman times as Hercules or Aesculapius, and Artemis Paralia were. An inscription of this temple was brought by Luigi Palma di Cesnola to New York. It reads:
" [ (?) ... In ... the king Pumiathon (?)], King of Kition and [ I] Dalion, son of [ Mil ] kyaton king of Kition and [ Ida ] lion: These are the two offerings, d [ ie] 'Abd- Eli [m ], [ son of ] ' Abd- Melqart, son of [' Abd- Re] schef [ and offered ] has raised for his master [ ... ]. " "
In the 18th century Larnaca was a commercial center and seat of European consulates. The importance of the port city increased after 1974, as a result of the Turkish invasion of the port of Kyrenia and Nicosia airport of were closed.
Excavation history
The Mycenaean temple and Cyclopean walls of the ancient city were uncovered by archaeologists since the 19th century, initially quite haphazard. An important finding is the Kition stele. It is now in the Berlin Near Eastern Museum.
Attractions
- The beach promenade Phinikoudes
- The Archaeological Museum at Kalogreon Square.
- The Armenian genocide monument on the waterfront
- The Pierides Museum with a private collection of Cypriot antiquities.
- The Turkish fort was erected in 1625 on the walls of a Venetian previous building and served in the early years of British rule as a prison.
- The Agios Lazaros Church is a magnificent church, built by Emperor Leo VI. in the ninth century. Eight days before Easter, the icon of St. Lazarus, a bishop of Kition, in a procession through the streets of Larnaca.
- The remains of the Cyclopean walls and a complex of five temples.
- The sunken wreck of the Zenobia in the harbor.
- The Hala Sultan Tekke is located south of the city on the salt lake.
Religious
Locals and tourists have the opportunity to attend church services of the Church of Cyprus, the archeparchy Cyprus, the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Roman Catholic Church and several other Christian churches. Also opened the first synagogue in Larnaca Cyprus 2005.
Traffic
The Larnaca Airport ( Larnaca International Airport ) is the main international airport in the Republic of Cyprus. It is located about five kilometers from the city center and about 40 kilometers from the capital of Cyprus Nicosia.
Sons and daughters of the town
- Birthplace of the philosopher Zeno, who founded the school of Stoicism
- Home of Lazarus, who was, according to legend, after he had been awakened by Jesus Christ back to life, the first Bishop of Kition
- Muhammad Nazim Adil al - Qubrusi al - Haqqani, Islamic mystics
- Tio Ellinas, Cypriot racing driver
- Yiannakis Occasions, Football Player
- Anna Vissi, pop singer
- Chrystalleni Trikomiti, gymnast
Twinning
Larnaca has partnerships with the following cities:
- Georgia Poti in Georgia ( since 1987)
- United Kingdom Haringey in London, United Kingdom ( since 1987)
- Greece Glyfada in Greece ( since 1988)
- France Ajaccio, Corsica, France ( since 1989)
- Slovakia Bratislava in Slovakia (since 1989)
- Greece Larisa in Greece ( since 1990)
- Russia Novosibirsk in Russia ( since 1993)
- Hungary Szeged in Hungary ( since 1993)
- Albania Saranda in Albania (since 1994)
- Greece Piraeus in Greece ( since 1995)
- Greece Leros in Greece ( since 2000)
- Greece Ilioupoli in Greece ( since 2000)
- Australia Marrickville in Australia ( since 2007)