34°41N 33°02E, pop (2000e) 148 000. Port and capital town of Limassol district, S Cyprus; on Akrotiri Bay, NE of Akrotiri; influx of Greek Cypriot refugees since 1974 Turkish invasion has dramatically increased population; airfield; wine-making, export of fruit and vegetables, distilling; castle (14th-c); spring carnival; arts festival (Jul); wine festival (Sep).
Coordinates: 34°40′N 33°02′E
| Limassol (Lemesos, Leymosun) | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34°40′ N 33°02′ E |
| Country | Cyprus |
| District | Limassol District |
| Population | 161,000 (2001) |
| Mayor | Dr. Demetris Kontides |
| Website | |
Limassol (Greek: Λεμεσός, Lemesos; Turkish: Leymosun) is the second-largest city of Cyprus, with a population of 161,000 (2001 census), and the biggest municipality of the island. The city is located on Akrotiri Bay, on the island's southern coast and it is the capital of Limassol District
It is the biggest port in the Mediterranean transit trade. Limassol has since then become one of the most important tourism, trade and service-providing centre in the area. Limassol is renowned for its long cultural tradition.
Limassol was built between two ancient cities, Amathus and Kourion, so during Byzantine rule it was known as Neapolis (new town). Limassol's tourist strip now runs east along the coast as far as Amathus.
Limassol also attracts a wide range of tourists mostly during the summer season to be accommodated in its several luxurious hotels and apartments.
History
The town of Limassol is situated between the ancient towns of Amathus and Curium (Kourion). Lemesos (Limassol) was probably built after Amathus had been ruined. However, the town of Lemesos (Limassol) was inhabited since the very old times.
Ancient writers mention nothing about the foundation of the town.
According to the Synod which took place in 451, the bishop of Theodossiani Sotir as well as the bishops of Amathus and Arsinoe were involved in the foundation. Theodossiani is regarded the same as Limassol was known later as Neapolis.
The history of Limassol is largely known by the events of 1191 A.D. Because of a storm, the ship with the queens arrived in Lemesos (Limassol). When Richard arrived in Lemesos (Limassol) and met Isaac Comnenus, he asked him to contribute to the crusade for the liberation of the Holy Land.
Richard then chased him and beat him. So, the Byzantine dominion in Cyprus came to an end.Richard destroyed Amathus and the inhabitants were transferred to Limassol.
A year later, in 1192 A.D. Cyprus was thus handed over to the Frankish Dynasty of the Lusignan kings of the medieval Cypriot kingdom.
For a period of about three centuries 1192-1489, Limassol enjoyed a remarkable prosperity.
The settling down of merchants in Cyprus and particularly in Limassol in the 13th century led to the financial welfare of its inhabitants.
Arrival of Germany
The King of Germany, Frederick II, urged by the Templars of Cyprus who were enemies of Ibelen, arrived in Limassol and took over in the town in 1228. John Ibelen came before him accompanied by the under-aged King Eric and all the Templars of Cyprus. The German King took over in Limassol and in other towns.
Attacks from Egypt
Limassol witnessed the attacks of the Mamelukes of Egypt. The harbor of Limassol had become a refuge for the pirates who were ravaging the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean and were stealing the property belonging to muslims. Thus, a military force arrived in Limassol in 1424, sent by the Mamelukes of Egypt. The Mamelukes devastated and burned Lemesos (Limassol). A year later, they invaded Cyprus again, this time with greater forces. They plundered Famagusta and Larnaca, and then arrived in Limassol where without any difficulty they occupied the Castle, burned many places, plundered others and then returned to Cairo. The Mamelukes caused even greater destruction in Limassol and other places in 1426.
Cyprus was sold in 1489 A.D. They destroyed the Castle of Limassol. Travelers who visited Cyprus in the 16th century commented on the poor condition of the local population in the towns of Cyprus.
All the inhabitants of Cyprus were enslaved by the Venetians, and were obliged to pay a tribute of ⅓ of their income, whether this was part of their products of the land, e.g.
Ottoman invasion
The Ottoman Empire invaded Cyprus in 1570-1571 and occupied it. Limassol was conquered in July 1570 without any resistance. Descriptions of different visitors inform us that the town of Limassol looked like a village with a considerable number of inhabitants.
During the years of the Ottoman domination, Cyprus faced a general decline. The following schools operated in the town of Limassol:
The Greek School which was established in 1819.British takeover
The British took over in Cyprus in 1878. The first British governor of Limassol was Colonel Warren. He showed a particular interest in Limassol and even from the very first days the condition of the town showed an improvement.
From the very first years of the British occupation, a post office, a telegraph office and a hospital began to operate.
At the end of the 19th century the very first hotels began to operate.
These changes that the British brought about contributed to the development of an intellectual and artistic life. were all set up and meant a great deal to the cultural life of Lemesos (Limassol).
Job opportunities concerned the wine and ceramic industries, as well as the commerce and tourism developed by the port.
Administration
The first marxist groups in Cyprus formed in Limassol in the early 1920s.
The current Mayor of the municipality is Demetris Kontidis - AKEL member as well - and he was elected Mayor of Limassol in December 1996 to serve a five year term and for the second time to serve a five year term for the period of 2002 – 2006.
Economy
The development of tourism in Limassol began after 1974 when the Turkish invaders occupied Famagusta and Kyrenia, the basic tourist areas of Cyprus. Limassol has some very good beaches, rich in sand and suitable for sunbathing and swimming. A bathing beach with all the necessary facilities, provided by the «Cyprus Tourism Organization» (CTO), is operating in the town of Limassol, in «Dasoudi» area.
Limassol became the major sea port of the Republic of Cyprus in 1974.
Limmasol is the base for many of the island's wine companies, serving the wine-growing regions on the southern slopes of the Troodos Mountains (of which the most famous is Commandaria). There is a considerable consumption of wine products in Cyprus by the locals and the foreign visitors. The town of Limassol is the biggest industrial center of the province.
Limassol is an important trade center of Cyprus. This is due to the presence of the British bases at Episkopi and Akrotiri, and to the displacement of the population in Limassol after the Turkish invasion in 1974.
Limassol has two ports. The new port has the greatest commercial and passenger flow of traffic and it is the biggest port in the free part of Cyprus.
Demographics
Internal migration since the 1960s and influx of displaced persons after 1974 significantly increased the population of Limassol and its suburbs. Greater Limassol today includes the municipality of Limassol (includes the suburb of Agia Fyla) and the municipalities of Polemidhia, Mesa Geitonia, Agios Athanasios and Germasogeia.
Limassol traditionally had a mixed population of Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Accordingly, many Greek Cypriots who became refugees after they had fled from the north of Cyprus settled down in Limassol. During the 1990s several Cypriot Roma (people) (considered Turkish Cypriots according to the constitution) returned from the North of the island to the Turkish quarter of Limassol.
Limassol is also where the island's small Jewish population is based, likely remnants of the Jewish exodus into Palestine through Cyprus.
The rise of the population birth rate during the late 19th and 20th c.
Sites of interest
The medieval castle is one of the nine castles of Cyprus (the others are at Kolossi, Larnaca and Paphos now in the Republic of Cyprus controlled area, and Famagusta, Kantara, Buffavento, St. Hilarion and Kyrenia now within the de facto but internationally unrecognised state of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus). The Castle was used as a prison, between 1790-1940
The medieval castle of Limassol now serves as a medieval museum.
The Archaeological Museum provides a very interesting collection of antiquities found in the district of Limassol, dating from the Neolithic Age to the Roman period.
The Folk Art Museum is beautifully preserved old house which provides a very interesting collection of Cypriot Folk Art of the last two centuries.
Public Garden is situated on the coastal road. In this beautiful environment the citizens of Limassol and many visitors can walk around and enjoy themselves.
A series of public sculptures commissioned by the Limassol Munisipality, can be found on the reclamation (now Twin Cities park), spanning one mile of Seafront reclaimed land. The sculptues were created by Costas Dikefalos, Thodoros Papayiannis, Yiorgos Tsaras, Vassilis Vassili, Christos Riganas, Kyriakos Rokos, Manolis Tsombanakis and Yiorgos Houliaras from Greece, Kyriakos Kallis, Nikos Kouroussis, Helene Black and Maria Kyprianou from Cyprus, Saadia Bahat from Israel, Victor Bonato from Germany and Ahmet El-Stoahy from Egypt
Festivals
Limassol is famous in Cyprus for its festivals, like the Carnival and Wine Festival.
The Limassol Carnival festival lasts for ten (10) days, with jolly and amusing masquerading.
During the first quarter of September, the great Wine Festival of Cyprus takes place in the Municipal Garden of Lemesos (Limassol), every evening between 8.00 hrs - 23.00 hrs. During the festival the visitor has the chance to taste some of the best Cyprus wines, which are offered free of charge.
Other festivals are Flower Festival (May), Festival of the Flood (June), Shakespearean nights and Ancient Greek Drama Festival.
Sports
AEL FC and Apollon Limassol are the two major sport clubs in Limassol, which have football,basketball and volleyball teams. They were the Cyprus Champions for three concecutive years (the last three years). Aris Limassol is another football team which plays in Second Division. AEL women volleyball teams is the permanent champion of Cyprus.
The football stadium of Limassol is Tsirion, with capacity of 16 000, which hosts the three football teams of Limassol and in the past it hosted Cyprus national football team. There are various other stadiums for other sports in Limassol. The Apollon Limassol basketball stadium, hosted the 2003 FIBA Europe South Regional Challenge Cup Final Four. The two basketball teams of Limassol participated and AEL became the first Cypriot sport team to win a European Trophy. In 2006, Limassol hosted the FIBA Europe All Star Game in Spyros Kyprianou Stadium, as it had the year before.
Also, in Limassol and around, is hosted the Cyprus Rally for World Rally Championship.
Twinned Cities
Nanjing, PR China Prague, Czech Republic Alexandria, Egypt Marseille, France Niederkassel, Germany Ioannina, Greece Heraklion, Crete, Greece Patra, Greece Rhodes, Greece Thessaloniki, Greece Zakynthos, Greece Haifa, IsraelFamous people
Adamos Adamou, a Member of the European Parliament and chairman of the Delegation for relations between EU with the Palestinian Legislative Council. Spyros Kyprianou, the former president of Cyprus (1977-1988) Markos Kyprianou (Spyros Kyprianou's son) is a Cypriot politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection.Reference
Municipality of Limassol - History of LimassolOther uses
Limassol is also the title of a song by Maxïmo Park from the album A Certain Trigger.
Coordinates: 34°40′N 33°02′E
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