Unique Architecture

The uninterrupted life of the town covering a period of 4000 years left us with some unique architectural remains, structures and buildings. The early history of the town left us with some architectural remains of the Cyclopean Walls of the city, which were build according to the new masonry the Mycenaean Greeks introduced on the island upon their arrival in the 14-13 centuries BC. The Phoenicians left in the city the architectural remains of the Temple of Aphrodite – Astarte, which was build in the 9th century by the same Tyrian masons, who build the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem at about the same time. The Classical and Hellenistic times left the city with the architectural remains of the ancient port, which is the only ancient port in the world surviving in such a good condition, revealing us all its secrets. The Romans left their beloved Corinthian style columns, now in the Larnaka District Museum, and perhaps a large part of the Aqueduct, which was restored and repaired again in the 18th century AD. The Byzantines decorated the city with the Church of Saint Lazarus, which is the most important surviving monument of the Byzantine period, and the church of Saint George Makris on Phaneromeni Avenue. The Luzignian Franks gave the city the Castle and the Church of Santa Cross, now the Mosque Touzla. The Venetians period survives in town with the Church of Santa Katerina, now the Beyuk or Kebir Mosque and the elegant public fountain with a “sun-clock”, opposite the Touzla Mosque on Archie Bishop Nikomedias Street. In the periods that followed architecture can be identified as follows: 

This is the unanimous architecture of Larnaka developed in the Ottoman times and was designed to serve at the same time the trading needs as well as the residential needs of the wealthy merchants of Larnaka. The owner had his storehouse and office at the ground floor and his family on the first, with the characteristic kiosk over the street for good aeration and view. The best surviving examples of this architecture in Larnaka are :

a) Ieronymos Varlam House on Chryssopolitissa Street,
b) Efthimiades House at Nicolaou Laniti Street,
c) the Larnaka Club opposite Pierides Museum on Zenonos Kitieos Street.

Some of the architecture surviving in the Skala Turkish quarter near the sea off Piale Pashia Street, goes under the heading unanimous Moslem Urban Traditional of Larnaka, where the kiosks and closed gardens are made for protecting the female population of the house according to Moslem tradition.

This type of architecture was introduced by the English the first years of their rule and it was based on the vision of their central designing services and refers strictly to the public buildings of this period. This type of architecture was repeated in many other English colonies and it is easily recognizable. The best examples of this architecture are :

a) The District Governors building on Europe Square,
b) The Old Customs Stores on Europe Square,
c) The building of Cyprus Tourist Organization at King Paul Square,
d) The Central Police Station at King Paul Square,
e) The Governors Residence at Grivas Digeni Avenue,
f) The ex building of Famagusta District Governor on Zenonos Kitieos Street,
g)The Larnaka old Hospital at Afxentiou Av. Near the American Academy. 

• Neoclassic

A European trend of the early 20th century that became very popular in Greece and Cyprus survives well in the city. This architectural trend can be recognized on public buildings and private houses. Some good surviving examples of the trend are :

a) Constantinos Kalogera School on Kalogera Street,
b)Kleanthis Kalogera School on L.Akritas Street,
c) The Entrance of the ex Larnaka Studium at Artemis Avenue.
A large number of other public buildings in this trend were demolished in the early 1970’s.