| Revision as of 17:13, 19 February 2013 editLfdder (talk | contribs)14,867 edits →Geography← Previous edit | Revision as of 11:35, 20 February 2013 edit undoLfdder (talk | contribs)14,867 editsm WikidataTag: Removal of all interwiki links; Wikidata is liveNext edit → | ||
| Line 362: | Line 362: | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Revision as of 11:35, 20 February 2013
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Larnaca" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Larnaca | |
|---|---|
| Municipality | |
| Λάρνακα (Greek) Larnaka (Turkish) | |
 The Foinikoudes Promenade is pictured on the right side of Athinon Avenue | |
| Official seal of LarnacaSeal | |
| Country |  Cyprus |
| District | Larnaca District |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Andreas Louroutziatis |
| • Vice Mayor | Petros Christodoulou |
| Elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population | |
| • Municipality | 51,468 |
| • Urban | 77,902 |
| The urban population includes that of the municipalities of Aradippou and Livadia. | |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Area code | +357 24 |
| Website | www.larnaka.com |
Larnaca (Template:Lang-el, Lárnaka; Template:Lang-tr; Phoenician: כתיון, Kityon) is a city on the southern coast of Cyprus, the third largest after Nicosia and Limassol with a population of 51,468 (2011). It is the island's second largest commercial port and a tourist resort, and the island's largest airport, Larnaca International Airport, is located on the outskirts of the city to the south. One of Cyprus' four official entry points, by sea is located at Larnaca Marina.
Names
"The great number of sarcophagoi (larnakes) found at Larnaca may have given to the modern city its name." Sophocles Hadjisavvas (a government archaeologist in Cyprus) said in 2012 that the city's U.S. "consul of the last quarter of the 19th century, claimed to have explored more than 3,000 tombs in the area of Larnaca, so-called after the immense number of sarcophagi found in the modern town".
The city is sometimes colloquially referred to as "Skala" (Template:Lang-el) meaning "ladder" or "landing stage", referring to the town's status in history as an important port.
Kition is known in Latin as Citium. The biblical name Kittim, though derived from Citium, was generally used for Cyprus as a whole and occasionally by the Jews for the Greeks and Romans.
History
Main article: History of Larnaca | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2008) |
The city-kingdom of Kition was originally established in the 13th century BC. "New cultural elements appearing between 1200 BC and 1000 BC (personal objects, pottery, new architectural forms and ideas) are interpreted as indications of significant political changes and the arrival of the Achaeans, the first Greek colonists of Kition."
At the archaeological sites of Kiteon, remains that date from the 13th century BC have been found. The area was settled before the Achaean Greeks arrived. Later Kition was rebuilt by Phoenicians. The remains of the sites include cyclopean walls and a complex of five temples and a naval port.
Skala is the name of the seashore immediately south of the Larnaca castle—and its neighborhood.
Like most Cypriot cities, Kition belonged to the Persian or Achaemenid Empire. In 450 BC, the Athenian general Cimon died at sea, while militarily supporting the revolt against Persia's rule over Cyprus. On his deathbed, he urged his officers to conceal his death from both their allies and the Persians.
Like other cities of Cyprus, it has suffered repeatedly from earthquakes, and in medieval times when its harbor silted up (a sign that the island was deforested and overgrazed) the population moved to Larnaca, on the open seafront farther south. The harbor and citadel have now disappeared. Traces remain of the circuit wall and of a sanctuary with copious terra-cotta offerings; the large cemetery has yielded constant loot from illicit excavations for more than a century.
The Kamares aqueduct was built in 1747—bringing water to the city from a source around six miles from the city.
Geography
Larnaca seafront panorama
The Salt Lake fills with water during the winter season and is visited by flocks of flamingoes who stay here from November until the end of March. It usually dries up in the summer. In the past, it yielded good quality of salt which was scraped from the dried surface. The salt from the lake is now considered unsuitable for consumption.
Climate
| Climate data for Larnaca | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 16.8 (62.2) |
16.8 (62.2) |
19.1 (66.4) |
22.5 (72.5) |
26.5 (79.7) |
30.3 (86.5) |
32.4 (90.3) |
32.7 (90.9) |
30.9 (87.6) |
28.1 (82.6) |
22.6 (72.7) |
18.3 (64.9) |
24.7 (76.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 12.1 (53.8) |
11.8 (53.2) |
13.9 (57.0) |
17.1 (62.8) |
21.2 (70.2) |
25.0 (77.0) |
27.3 (81.1) |
27.6 (81.7) |
25.4 (77.7) |
22.6 (72.7) |
17.5 (63.5) |
13.7 (56.7) |
19.6 (67.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 7.5 (45.5) |
6.9 (44.4) |
8.7 (47.7) |
11.7 (53.1) |
16.0 (60.8) |
19.8 (67.6) |
22.2 (72.0) |
22.6 (72.7) |
19.9 (67.8) |
17.1 (62.8) |
12.5 (54.5) |
9.2 (48.6) |
14.5 (58.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 77.6 (3.06) |
40.9 (1.61) |
34.4 (1.35) |
17.7 (0.70) |
8.80 (0.35) |
2.70 (0.11) |
0.60 (0.02) |
0.40 (0.02) |
7.10 (0.28) |
13.8 (0.54) |
53.1 (2.09) |
94.5 (3.72) |
351.5 (13.84) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 7.9 | 5.7 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 4.7 | 8.0 | 37.6 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 195.3 | 208.8 | 238.7 | 267.0 | 331.7 | 378.0 | 387.5 | 365.8 | 312.0 | 275.9 | 216.0 | 179.8 | 3,356.5 |
| Source: Meteorological Service (Cyprus) | |||||||||||||
Landmarks
.JPG)
About halfway between the monument of Zeno and the salt lake on the right is the Catacomb of Phaneromeni Church.
The Church of Lazarus (Agios Lazaros) is another magnificent Orthodox Church in Larnaca that was built in the town over the tomb of St. Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha. He died here and was buried in the church named after him. In 890 AD, his tomb was found bearing the inscription "Lazarus, bishop of Larnaca. Four days dead. Friend of Jesus." The marble sarcophagus can be seen inside the church under the Holy of Holies.
The Hala Sultan Tekke is about 5 km (3 mi) west of Larnaka, on the banks of the Salt Lake. It is equivalent to the Christian "monastery". Within the precincts of this Tekke is the tomb of Umm Haram, who was the foster mother of Prophet Mohammed. According to Muslim historical accounts Umm Haram died on this spot in 647 AD while accompanying the Arab invaders. She was buried here and later the Ottomans built the present mosque in her honour.
Another site of interest is the Fort of Larnaca which was erected by the Turks in 1625. This fort is now a museum, and its inner courtyard is used as an open-air garden theatre during the summer months, with the permission of the director of antiquities.
The Foinikoudes Promenade functions as the sidewalk on Athinon Avenue's seaside. A row of palm trees (Cypriot Greek, foinikoudes) lines each side of the promenade.
Monuments
A statue of "Kimon the Athenian" stands on the Foinikoudes Promenade, with a quote referring to him—"Even in death he was victorious".
The marble bust of Zeno stands at the crossroads near the American Academy. Zeno was born in Kition in 334 BC. After studying philosophy in Athens, he founded the famous Stoic school of philosophy.
Economy
Larnaca's economy has been growing since 1975, after the loss of the Port of Famagusta, which handled 80% of general cargo, and the closure of Nicosia International Airport, meant that Larnaca's airport and seaport had increasingly important roles in the economy of the island.
A €650m upgrade of Larnaca Airport has been completed.
Many travel and tour operators and other travel-related companies have their head offices in Larnaca.
The service sector, including tourism, employs three quarters of Larnaca's labor force.
Education
There are over a hundred educational institutions in the city, including the American Academy, Kimon college (a private institution), and Larnaca Nareg Armenian school.
Culture
Arts
Larnaca has a theatre and an art gallery, which are operated by the municipality, and is home to the celebrated Pieridis Museum of Antiquities, founded by Demetrios Pieridis. It is also the location of two art schools: the Alexander College, which specializes in design; and the Cyprus College of Art, which specializes in fine art. The Cornaro Institute is a cultural centre in Old Town and which stages contemporary art exhibitions and other cultural events.
Music
Larnaca boasts a Municipal Band of over 60 musicians who are competent in all families of musical instruments. Larnaca Municipal Band offers a large repertoire of music, ranging from parade music to Latin, and from Greek favorites to rock and roll. Apart from playing for parades on national holidays, the band also makes regular appearances at various concerts and music festivals throughout Cyprus and abroad, representing both Larnaca and Cyprus.
Sports
The city is home to football teams AEK Larnaca FC and ALKI Larnaca FC. Both teams play in GSZ Stadium. Due to the Turkish occupation of Famagusta, the two teams of Famagusta, Anorthosis and Nea Salamina, have their own stadiums in Larnaca. "Antonis Papadopoulos" is Anorthosis' stadium and "Ammochostos" ( Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) "Ammochostos" is the Greek endonym for Famagusta) is the stadium of Nea Salamina.
Larnaca hosted the Shooting Shotgun European Championships in 2012, the FIVB Beach Volleyball SWATCH Youth World Championship in 2012, the European Under-19 Football Championship final in 1998 and the European Under-17 Football Championship final in 1992.
Cuisine
The beaches of Larnaca are lined with nearly identical seafood restaurants catering to tourists. Although there are many continental and international restaurants in Larnaca, visitors do not miss out on indulging in the local food. Many of the staple dishes involve beans, such as fasolaki (French beans cooked in red wine with lamb), and louvi me lahana (black-eyed beans with chard). The mezes, or appetizers, are particularly delicious and are plentiful enough to constitute meals. Some of the standard appetizers are potato salad, kohlrabi salad, and hot grilled black olives. The next course may include Cyprus village sausage and sheftalia, dolmades and keftedes, kolokassi in tomato sauce, and several aubergine-based dishes. Baked or grilled lamb (souvla) usually appears somewhere in the course of dining, as does some kind of fish. The slow pace of eating and the series of food courses makes dining in Larnaca a true delight.
Festivals
Much of the activity is centered around the city promenade during the major festivals. The most important of these is Kataklysmos or the Festival of the Flood, celebrated in early summer with a series of cultural events. The festival used to last for about a week, but, in recent years, with the increased commercialism of peripheral stalls, rides and temporary loukmades restaurants, the festival been has extended to about three weeks, during which the seafront is closed to traffic in the evenings. Loukmades is a sweet delicacy.
Notable people
- Zeno of Citium, stoic philosopher
- Apollonios of Kition, (physician, 1st c BC, nicknamed ‘the Cypriot Hippocrates’)
- St Lazarus (although not born in Larnaca, he was the first Bishop of the town during 45-63AD and he died there - for the second time)
- Ada Nicodemou, actress
- George Charalambous, actor
- Ebubekir Pasha, Governor of Larnaca and philanthropist
- Dimitris Lipertis, 1866-1937 (national poet)
- Demetrios Pieridis, 1811-1895 (created the Pieridi Museum)
- Anna Vissi, a Greek-Cypriot singer
- Neoclis Kyriazis, medical doctor and historian
- Mehmet Nazim Adil, the leader of the Nakshbandi Sufi order (or Tekke) was born in Larnaca
- Kyriacos A. Athanasiou, a Cypriot-American academic, entrepreneur, and past-president of the Biomedical Engineering Society
- Stass Paraskos, Artist
- Giorgos Theofanous, Composer
- Garo Yepremian, Former Armenian-Cypriot NFL placekicker, played as a member of the 1972 Miami Dolphins, to date the only team in NFL history to finish with a perfect record.
- Mihalis Violaris singer, actor, composer. Pioneer of Cypriot music popularisation in Greece.
- Chrystalleni Trikomiti, Commonwealth Games gold-medalist rhythmic gymnast.
Neighborhoods
Its neighborhoods include Skala and Prodromos.
Panoramic view from Oroklini Hill towards Larnaca
Transport
Larnaca International Airport in Larnaca is the main international airport in Cyprus.
Public transport
Public transport in Larnaca is currently served only by buses. Bus routes and timetable can be found here http://www.cyprusbybus.com/routes.aspx?sid=6
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Larnaca Municipality is twinned with the following:
|
Gallery
-
Fishing port "Psarolimano"
-
Hala Sultan Tekke
-
Castle square pier
-
Kimon statue
-
Finikoudes Avenue
-
Aspect of the old town
-
Souvenir shops
-
Old town
-
Old aqueduct "Kamares"
-
Angeloktisti medieval church
-
Street in town center
-
Ermou square
-
Saint Lazarus
-
Vessels near Larnaca port
-
Larnaca International Airport
-
Larnaca Castle interior
-
Building of District Administration Larnaca
-
Europe square
-
Pierides Museum
.JPG)
.JPG)
_medieval_church.JPG)
See also
References
- 2011 Population Census. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
- Excerpt of wall mounted text at Larnaca District Museum, under the title "Kition: The necropolis"
- The Phoenician Period Necropolis of Kition, Volume I
- According to the text on the only plaque at the Kathari site (as of 2013).
- Excerpt of text on the only plaque at the Kathari site (as of 2013).
- Road & Tourist Map of Larnaka. SELAS LTD. ISBN 978-9963-566-92-1.
- "Meteorological Service - Climatological and Meteorological Reports".
- 2013 is “Larnaka’s Time”
- "Bratislava City - Twin Towns". © 2003-2008 Bratislava-City.sk. Retrieved 26 October 2008.
External links
- History of Larnaka by the official Municipality
- Municipality of Larnaca Official Web Site
- Larnaka Municipal Wind Orchestra Official Web Site
Larnaca travel guide from Wikivoyage
| Municipalities of Cyprus | |
|---|---|
| Nicosia District | |
| Limassol District | |
| Larnaca District | |
| Famagusta District | |
| Paphos District | |
| Kyrenia District | |
| Ancient cities of Cyprus | |
|---|---|
 Phoenician cities and colonies | |
|---|---|
| Algeria |
|
| Cyprus | |
| Greece | |
| Israel | |
| Italy | |
| Lebanon | |
| Libya | |
| Malta |
|
| Morocco | |
| Portugal |
|
| Spain | |
| Syria | |
| Tunisia | |
| Other | |
Categories: