- Address: Kouklia Village, Pafos, Cyprus
- Website: www.kouklia.org.cy
- Phone: +357 264 321 55
- Working hours: 8.30-17.00 (16.09-15.04), 8.30-19.30 (16.04-15.09)
- Ticket price: € 4.50
In ancient times, Kuklia was called Paleapaphos and this place was the center of Aphrodite worship. From ancient myths it follows that Pygmalion was one of the kings here, who fell in love with a statue created by himself. Then Aphrodite, regretting the unfortunate lover, revived the statue for him. Pygmalion and Galatea were happy, and their son was named Paphos.
Paleapaphos was an administrative center until 320 BC, then a large port was built and Nea Pafos became the capital.
How did the archaeological museum?
From the end of the 19th century to the present day, excavations are conducted in the village and archaeologists study the found objects. In the complex, graves and even remnants of the buildings (villas) of the Roman period were found. They prove that in these places families of wealthy Romans lived.
In the village there is an archaeological museum of Kuklia, most of which are located on the street, in the open air. This exposition is dedicated to the cult of Aphrodite and its temple. Another part of the exhibits is kept in the museum. It is located next to the fortress, which was built in the Middle Ages. The museum is located in the castle of the Lusignan family and it is worth a visit, strolling before it through the ancient ruins of the complex.
Exhibits of the museum
The archaeological museum of Kuklia has quite a few exhibits that were found during the study of the sanctuary of Aphrodite. There are also some of the finds that were transferred from the exposition in Nicosia .
The most famous artifacts include an ancient stone bath. Also interesting is a sarcophagus of sandstone, which depicts bas-reliefs. Plots from the myths of Ancient Greece are transmitted with the help of red, black and blue flowers. Even in the museum there is a large collection of inscriptions: Cypriot and Greek.
But among all the exhibits that can be seen in the archaeological museum of Kuklia, one stands out. It is a large black stone that served as an object of worship for pilgrims and was located on the altar of the goddess Aphrodite. In those days, it was not customary for worship to use statues or images. The stone has a phallic shape and is a symbol of fertility, like the goddess Aphrodite herself. The origin of the stone is also interesting: scientists have proved that it is not from this locality and, most likely, is a fragment of a meteorite. This exhibit can not only be seen, but even touched.
The Kuklia archaeological museum also boasts a copy of a mosaic called "Leda and the Swan". It was also discovered on local excavations and exhibited in the museum. Then the mosaic was stolen, and only later it was found in Europe, after which it was returned to Cyprus, to Lefkosia.
How to get to the museum?
Kuklia is located twelve kilometers east of Pafos . By car to the village you need to go along the Pafos - Limassol highway. Information on how to get to the bus, you can get in the information desk at the bus station. There, bus No. 632 departs from the city center, from Karavella Station.
The bus №631 is moving to the bay of Aphrodite, which also stops in Kuklia. When landing, you need to tell the driver where you want to go, and he will definitely stop. You can go back by the same bus, the stop is not far, you just need to turn the corner.
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