The agora
A square with standing columns.
Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Hermann Junghans — CC BY-SA 3.0 de · Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Unknown authorUnknown author — Public domain
Amathus was an ancient city-kingdom of Cyprus, with its remains on the south coast near Agios Tychonas, about 10 km east of Limassol. Its sanctuary of Aphrodite was the second most important on the island after Paphos, and the site pairs an old agora with views of the sea. No trace of human activity has been found before the start of the Iron Age, around 1100 BC. Legend credits Cinyras with founding it and naming it after his mother Amathous, and one tale says Theseus abandoned Ariadne here. It came under Ptolemaic rule in the 300s BC. Fieldwork continues, and many finds are shown in the Limassol Museum. Visitors begin at the agora, with its paved square, standing columns and basin, then climb the hill to the acropolis and the sanctuary remains. A huge stone vase stands on the hill, its partner now in the Louvre, and from there you see the coast and lower city. The site lies by the coastal road, easy to reach by car or by bus from Limassol. The climb is short but exposed, so go in the morning or before sunset, with water, a hat and suitable shoes. It is 24 km in a straight line from Kourion, so the two fit into one day.
A square with standing columns.
Its partner is in the Louvre.
The coast and lower city.
Near Agios Tychonas, on the coast east of Limassol
Many are in the Limassol Museum, and a huge stone vase from the site is in the Louvre.
Yes. They are 24 km apart in a straight line, with Limassol between them.