Salamis, Famagusta

North of Famagusta and the Karpas peninsula lies the remnants city of the Salamis. The capital of Cyprus was far as 1100 v. Christ in the possession of the Assyrer, egyptian, persian, and Roman, but survived Salamis in the end. This beautiful zone with the excavations lies in a beautiful forest out of Mimosa. The result of important remnants and gold coin dates back the years of 411 and 374 v. Christ and the first real proof of the archeological importance of the city.

In 76 n. Christ the city had a heavy earthquake and the antique Gymnasions, that was constructed by Trojan and Hadrian, destroys. This is the most imposing part of the place, but after the second large earthquake in 331 n. Chr. the Christians set up new columns, that dragged it of the Roman theater. The theater with 50 seat rows for 15,000 spectators is the most spectacular sight. The buildings that became from ditch are many niche and headless. When Christianity was supposed as a national religion, all these naked statues were thrown or dissolved an abhorrence, and in derivations. Actually any notice of Roman heathen religion such as mosaic pictures were canceled or were destroyed.

The Romans made in the large hall buildings, the Caldarium (steam bath), Sudatorium (hot baths) and Frigidarium (cold baths). Before the Christian period, in 400, was covered Salamis rather a colorful city, that became marble column with colored plaster, colored statues, and numerous multicolored mosaics. In the later Roman period, between 400 -1100 n. Christ became the first large Christian churches and basilicas were constructed.

There must have been a large change in the climate when the city was overpowered with sand, and only the upper parts of the columns are to be seen. In the Lusignan period, the basilicas were found in the ruins, many settlers approximately up to 1300 n. Christ have lived here.

For the next six hundred of years, the antique place was plundered. During occupation of Famagusta by the Venetian, many columns and pieces of the sculpture of the place were taken. The looting was held when the department of Northern Cyprus began to organize excavations of antiquities in 1952.

The archeological place is the most spectacular in Cyprus as the ruins are very extensive. More than ten centuries was the Roman city of Salamis was buried in the sand. It must be remembered on that all old ruins in Europe were treated as quarries for the contractors by the medieval castles. In 19 centuries, the departments began to retain the governments a watchful eye on ruins.

Much of the city remains nevertheless undetected and buried under the Mediterranean Sea. The amphitheater is especially impressive and a wonderful sign for tradition of northern Cyprus. Today it is used as a living venue for theater and concerts. With its wealth of the treasures, the area is a wonderful zone and the immersing sea, the water is crystal clear, warm and lovely.

Salamis is easy to be reached from Kyrenia or Famagusta and the most popular zone for the tourists.