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Larnaca,
(or Larnaka), is a city on the southeast coast of Cyprus.
Home of the main international airport, and of the island’s
second busiest commercial port. |
Today, Larnaca is a very popular tourist resort with a local
population of 72000 (end of 2001). Though in ancient times,
as one of the oldest living cities in Cyprus, where the earliest
remains go back to the Mycenean age (ca 1400–1100 BC).
Larnaca was known as Kition, or (in Latin) Citium in ancient
times. The biblical name Khittim, though derived from Citium,
was used for Cyprus as a whole, and also by Hebrews for the
Greeks and Romans.
Saint Lazarus, the man Jesus Christ brought back from the
dead had died in Larnaka. Infact, Saint Lazarus's church was
built around the tomb of Saint Lazarus on which it houses
- see image below-right).
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If
legend has it, the first settlement, settled on the same actual
spot founded by Noah’s grandson Khittim. Larnaca, unlike
other ancient cities in Cyprus which were abandoned by their
inhabitants, still exists at the same site. Being in the crossroad
of civilisation from the early dawn of history, Larnaca has
attracted many visitors through the centuries. Some came as
colonisers, others as traders and others as invaders, conquerors
or tourists.
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Originally
the principal Phoenician colony in Cyprus, it later became
a part of the Hellenistic world. The ancient site is at
the north end of modern Larnaca. The earliest remains go
back to the Mycenaean Greeks (ca 13th century B.C.) when
The Kition City Kingdom was established in the 13th century
B.C. The Kition City Kingdom enjoyed the dual position of
a rich port and a major centre of the copper trade. Recent
excavations brought to light remains of that period and
they can be seen in its Cyclopean walls and a complex of
Mycenaean temples. The very well preserved fortified port
and shipyards are of a later period, which seemed to mark
an Aegean colony, but in historic times Citium was the chief
center of Phoenician influence in Cyprus. That this was
still a recent settlement in the 7th century BC is suggested
by an allusion in a list of the allies of Assurbanipal of
Assyria in 668 BC to a King Damusu (Damasos) of Karti-hadasti
(Phoenician "new city"), where Citium would be
expected. (The same ten kings appear in an earlier list
of Esarhaddon's 673/672 BC, which might simply have been
copied by Assurbanipal's scribes). A Phoenician dedication
to Baal, dated also to the 7th century BC, suggests that
Citium may have belonged to Tyre. The discovery here of
an official monument of Sargon II suggests that Citium was
the administrative center of Cyprus during the Assyrian
protectorate (709–668 BC). During the Ionian Greek
revolts of the 4th century BC, Citium led the side that
was loyal to Persia and was besieged by an Athenian force
in 449 BC.
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| Larnaca is the
birthplace of the famous Stoic philosopher ZenonZeno of Citium
who taught in Athens in the 4th century BC. It is said he
began his stoic teaching after losing everything he had in
a shipwreck.A famous Athenian general, Kimon, died at sea
defending the city of Citium in a major battle with the Persians
of Xerxes. He told his officers to keep the news of his death
secret. The quote "Even in death I was victorious"
was attributed to Kimon. A statue of "Kimon the Athenian"
stands proudly on the sea front promenade of modern Larnaca. |
During
the Byzantine period, Larnaca has lost the great importance
that had in the Classical Era. But it left some interesting
monuments, among them the 9th century AD Basilica of Saint
Lazarus.
The town regained its standing during Ottoman rule when it
became the diplomatic and commercial center of Cyprus. It
was in Larnaca that the British landed in 1878 to begin their
administration of the island that ended in 1960.
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The population of Larnaca in 1973 was 22.000. Larnaca saw
its population tripling in 1974 after Turkey invaded the Republic
of Cyprus and the Turkish army displaced by force about 200.000
Greek-Cypriots. Refugees from the occupied Northern part were
welcomed in Larnaca. Larnaca’s population grew overnight
it now stands at 72.000 (end of 2001). |
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Today, Larnaka is a very popular tourist resort with the Cypriots,
as well as foreign visitors.Mainly at the centre promenade
is where most of the activity revolves around the promenade
known, for its picturesque sea-front which includes rows of
palm trees (oi finikoudes, in the local Greek dialect). Much
of the activity is centred there during major festivals. The
most important of these festivals is Kataklysmos (or the Festival
of the Flood), celebrated early summer, with a series of cultural
events. |
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