Nea Paphos Archaeological Park is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Mediterranean, boasting perfectly preserved Roman mosaics.
The city of Nea Paphos was founded in the late 4th century BC by Nicocles, the last king of Paphos, on a promontory surrounding a gulf that would later become the city’s port.
It was built with an organized layout and an urban plan, with rectangular blocks and defined zones designated for commercial, public, and residential use.
The archaeological area is vast, with monuments ranging from the Hellenistic to the Medieval period, and the site has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The area includes public structures such as the Odeon, a semicircular Roman theater still used today for theatrical performances, and the Agora, with the remains of the ancient commercial and political center.
Roman villas and their mosaics were discovered by chance in 1962 by a farmer and date back to between the 2nd and 5th centuries.
The main villas and their Roman mosaics
- House of Dionysus: This is the largest and most famous structure, renowned for its mosaics related to the god of wine. Inside, the mosaics depict the grape harvest, mythological scenes, and numerous geometric motifs.
- Villa of Theseus: This residence (perhaps the Roman governor’s) houses the famous circular mosaic of Theseus and the Minotaur in the Cretan labyrinth, as well as a depiction of the birth of Achilles.
- House of Aion: It preserves a single mosaic divided into five panels. It shows the iconography of the god of time (Aion), along with the myths of Cassiopeia, Leda with the swan, and the birth of Dionysus.
- House of Orpheus: features large representations including Orpheus taming wild beasts with his lyre, Hercules and the Nemean lion.
