Theme: Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism
The 18th of April was established in 1983 by UNESCO as the International Day for Monuments and Sites.
For detailed programme of events please click here
The Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, announces that on the 18 April 2017, in celebration of the International Day for Monuments and Sites, there will be free entrance admittance to the following archaeological sites and ancient monuments.
1.Tamasos Archaeological Site at Politiko
2.“Royal Chapel” of Agia Aikaterini at Pyrga
3.Kition Archaeological Site at Larnaka
4.Neolithic Archaeological Site at Choirokoitia
5.Kalavasos-Tenta Archaeological Site at Kalavasos
6.Larnaka Castle
7.Kourion Archaeological Site at Episkopi
8.Sanctuary of Apollon Hylates at Episkopi
9.Kolossi Castle
10.Amathous Archaeological Site at Agios Tychon
11.Nea Pafos (Mosaics) Archaeological Site at Kato Pafos
12.“Tombs of the Kings” Necropolis at Kato Pafos
13.Palaipafos Archaeological Site at Kouklia
14.Agios Georgios Archaeological Site at Pegeia
15.Maa-Palaiokastro Archaeological Site at Pafos
16.Pafos Castle
In celebration of the International Day for Monuments and Sites, the following events will take place:
10 March until 11 May 2017
Photography and Drawing exhibition entitled “153 Birds” will be on display at the Visitors Centre within the Archaeological Site of Nea Pafos. Following the great success of the “153 Birds” Photography and Drawing exhibition in Nicosia last December, Bird Life Cyprus in collaboration with the Department of Antiquities is relocating the exhibition to Pafos, in order to give people the opportunity to enjoy and learn about birds and the wonder of migration.
The exhibition will be open to the public from 10 March 2017 until 11 May 2017, Monday-Sunday. For the opening hours of the archaeological site please visit the Department of Antiquities’ website (www.mcw.gov.cy/da).
21 April 2017
There will be a screening of the movie “Agelastos Petra/Mourning Rock” by the famous Greek director Filippos Koutsaftis. The screening of the movie is organized by ICOMOS Cyprus in collaboration with the Department of Antiquities. The director filmed over a period of ten whole years Eleusina, documenting the life and occasionally the death of the ordinary inhabitants but also the changes that contributed to a mythical place (connected with the myth of the Goddess Demeter and the Eleusinian Mysteries) which was industrialized with catastrophic consequences for the surrounding area and its archaeological sites.
The screening will take at the Artos Cultural and Research Foundation, 64 Ay. Omoloyiton Ave., Nicosia, at 20:30.
22 April until 30 September 2017
Visual Art Exhibition of Nikos Kouroussis and Lia Lapithi entitled “Symposium 1363-Votive 1356” at the Kolossi Castle. The exhibition is organized by the Department of Antiquities in collaboration with the aforementioned artists, ICOMOS Cyprus and the support of the Community Council of Kolossi. Nikos Kouroussis and Lia Lapithi first collaborated together in 2009 on the exhibition “TERRA NATAL” which was presented in New York. In 2010 the same exhibition was presented in London and thereafter at Famagusta Gate for the “50 Years of the Republic of Cyprus” celebrations. Meanwhile in 2010 their new exhibition entitled “Symposium” was exhibited at the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation. The visual dialogue continued in 2011 with the exhibition “Mediterranean” at the Larnaka Municipal Art Gallery, in 2012 with the exhibitions “Catharsis- Cyprus 17 cents” at the Centre of Contemporary Art Diatopos, “Diaspora-I shall follow you to the end of the world” at the Leventis Municipal Museum, “Curtain Call” an ode to Pythagoras at the opening of the Cyprus National Theatre. Following in 2014 with the exhibition “Dialogue with Parmenides and Heraclitus” at the Larnaka Municipal Gallery, the spirit of cooperation continues in 2017 with the exhibition “Symposium 1363-Votive 1356” at the Medieval Castle of Kolossi.
The event will be held under the auspices of Mr. Alecos Michaelides, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works.
The opening exhibition will he held on 22 April 2017 at 18:30 at the Medieval Castle of Kolossi.
A reception will follow after.
26 April 2017
A Photography Exhibition at the Visitors Centre of the archaeological site of Kition entitled “Larnaka, Luigi Palma di Cesnola and Cypriot Antiquities”. The exhibition is organized by the Department of Antiquities in collaboration with the Phivos Stavrides Foundation-Larnaka Archives and the University of Turin.
At the exhibition, archival documents and rich photographic material will be on display in regards to the role of the American Consul in Larnaka, the Italian Luigi Palma di Cesnola and the exportation of Cypriot antiquities to Europe and America. A special presentation will be given on rare archival documents, which substantiates the relationship of this specific consul with Italy and especially with Turin.
The event will be held under the auspices of Mr. Alecos Michaelides, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works.
The opening ceremony will be held on 26 April 2017 at 18:30 at the Visitors Centre of the Archaeological Site of Kition.
A reception will follow after.
Saturday, 6 May 2017
On the occasion of the International Day of Monuments and Sites, the Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) offers free of charge bus transfers from Lefkosia, Lemesos and Pafos for a visit to the Kolossi Castle and a tour by the featuring artists Mr. Nikos Kouroussis and Mrs. Lia Lapithi of the visual arts exhibition titled “Symposio 1363 - Votive 1356”. One bus will be made available from each district accompanied by a licensed tourist guide (tour in English and Greek). Reservations are obligatory. The minimum number of participants is 10 persons and the maximum number of participants is 50 persons (per transfer). Places will be reserved strictly on a first-come first-served basis.
Lefkosia
Meeting point: Cyprus Handicrafts Centre, 186 Athalassas Str.
Departure time: 10:30
Reservations: +357 25 362 756 (M-F, 08:30 - 14:30)
Lemesos
Meeting point: CTO Information Office, Germasogeia, 22 Georgiou A’ Str.
Departure time: 09:30
Reservations: +357 25 323 211 (M-F, 08:30 - 14:30)
Pafos
Meeting point: CTO Information Office, Kato Pafos, 63A Poseidonos Str.
Departure time: 10:00
Reservations: +357 26 930 521 (M-F, 08:30 - 14:30)
Saturday, 13 May 2017
On the occasion of the International Day of Monuments and Sites, the Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) offers free of charge bus transfers from Lefkosia and Lemesos for a visit to the Kition Archaeological Site and a tour of the exhibition title “Larnaka, Luigi Palma di Cesnola and Cypriot Antiquities” by Mr. Iosif Hadjikyriakos. One bus will be made available from Lefkosia and Lemesos Districts accompanied by a licensed tourist guide (tour in English and Greek). Reservations are obligatory. The minimum number of participants is 10 persons and the maximum number of participants is 50 persons (per transfer). Places will be reserved strictly on a first-come first-served basis.
Lefkosia
Meeting point: Cyprus Handicrafts Centre, 186 Athalassas Str.
Departure time: 09:30
Reservations: +357 25 362 756 (M-F, 8:30 - 14:30)
Lemesos
Meeting point: CTO Information Office, Germasogeia, 22 Georgiou A’ Str.
Departure time: 10:30
Reservations: +357 25 323 211 (M-F, 08:30 - 14:30)
The main aim of this conception was the enhancement of cultural heritage and the encouragement of citizens and local authorities to better acquaint themselves with cultural heritage, appreciate its value and integrate it in their lives on a social, cultural and economic level.
This year’s theme for the International Day for Monuments and Sites is “Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism”. The International Day for Monuments and Sites 2017 offers an opportunity to the whole world to celebrate and appreciate the positive results that are observed in the bidirectional relationship between sustainable development of tourism and preservation of cultural heritage. On this day, ICOMOS through its National and International Scientific Committees, encourages local communities and individuals to examine the importance of cultural heritage to their lives and their identities that were shaped in their communities, with an ultimate aim of promoting an awareness of diversity and vulnerability of cultural heritage.
Tourism has developed over recent decades and has become one of the leading global socio-economic sectors of our times. Culture is reflected in heritage and traditions as well as in contemporary art, languages, cuisine, music, handicrafts, museums and literature. Culture plays an important role in the development of relations between people and plays a definitive connecting link in the shaping of identity and its respect. Many countries rank culture as a priority for sustainable tourism development.
From Tuesday, April 18, 2017
To Saturday, September 30, 2017
