The archaeological site of the Tombs of the Kings in Paphos is a monumental underground necropolis and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980.
Contrary to its name, no king was ever buried here, but this is due solely to the magnificence and architectural grandeur of the structures.
They were built during the Hellenistic period (3rd century BC) near the newly founded Nea Paphos.
The necropolis houses the remains of the tombs of high-ranking administrative officials, aristocrats, and prominent figures from the Hellenistic and Roman periods, who lived between the 4th century BC and the 4th century AD.
The funerary structures are entirely carved from natural rock, imitating the style of the homes of the period.
Many of the main tombs feature an open-air underground courtyard surrounded by Doric-style colonnades, architectural features recalling the funerary models of Ptolemaic Egypt and Alexandria.
