Paphos

Paphos (ˈpæfɒs ; Πάφος ˈpafos; Baf) is a coastal city in southwest Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In classical antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos, today known as Kouklia, and New Paphos. The current city of Paphos lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of Limassol (the biggest port on the island), both of which are connected by the A6 highway. Paphos International Airport is the country's second-largest airport. The city has a subtropical-Mediterranean climate, with the mildest temperatures on the island. In 1980, Paphos was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its ancient architecture, mosaics, and ancient religious importance. It was selected as a European Capital of Culture for 2017 along with Aarhus. In the founding myth, the town's name is linked to the goddess Aphrodite, as the eponymous Paphos was the son (or, in Ovid, daughter) of Pygmalion whose ivory of Aphrodite was brought to life by the goddess as "milk-white" Galatea. The author of Bibliotheke gives the genealogy. Pygmalion was so devoted to the cult of Aphrodite that he took the statue to his palace and kept it on his couch. The daimon of the goddess entered into the statue, and the living Galatea bore Pygmalion a son, Paphos, and a daughter, Metharme. Cinyras, debated as to if he is the son of Paphos or Metharme's suitor, founded the city under Aphrodite's patronage and built the great temple to the goddess there. According to another legend preserved by Strabo (xi. p. 505), it was founded by the Amazons. Kouklia Old Paphos (Palaepaphos), now known as Kouklia (Κούκλια; Kukla or Konuklia; Covocle) (Engel, Kypros, vol. i. p. 125), is on a hill to the east of the modern city. It had a road which spanned a few miles to the sea. It was not far from the Zephyrium promontory and the mouth of the Bocarus stream. Archaeology shows that Old Paphos has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. It was a centre for Aphrodite's cult. Aphrodite's mythical birthplace was on the island.