Paphos or it can be also spelled as Pafos is a place where the timing has started. Recently it was one of the most developed and astonishing cities of the Cyprus Republic. In Roman times it was the capital of Cyprus. Namely from its waters appeared Aphrodite. For many years it remained an important part of the country, it atrracted a lot of visitors and was just in a full swing. This situation lasted till the Middle Ages and than had been changing gradually.
But, nevertheless, it survived the crises and nowadays is a popular tourist center. More than 45000 of people visited it throughout a year. It is of great popularity because of its geographical location, climate, beaches and, of course, sightseeings. Among the most well-known are: the ancient Odeon Theatre, the Tombs of the Kings, ancient mosaics, a lot of museums and Paphos medieval Fort. As for me, it is the most thrilling building in Cyprus. It is so giant and powerful and at the same time small and helpless. Its history is a decent reflection of its look. This Castle is situated at the end of Paphos harbour and according to the first intention it was made as a Byzantine fort in order to protect the harbour. Afterwards it was rebuilt and than destroyed after the earthquake in 1222. Also, in 1570 the Venetians demounted the Paphos Castle. And the Ottomans rebuilt it and returned it its original strength.
Now, it can be treated as one of the greatest monuments from the time immemorial. It is incredibly popular among tourits and belongs to UNESCO world heritage.
To tell the truth, Venice is not all canals. Land occupies much bigger part of the city. Some amazing fact, there are road signs there, if it possible to say so, that controls movement of “floating transport”. The most popular among tourists is gondola. As a rule, it is 11 meters length and weighs near 600 kilos. Eight kinds of wood is used to produce one gondola and it consists of 280 separate parts and has a flat bottom. Gondolas are hand-made and manufacturing of 1 boat lasts almost 3 years and its approximate price 30,000 euros. As for me, another peculiarity of Venice is poles, rising from waters of canals. It’s unbelievable, but they don’t decay over a long period of time. The reason is they are made from a special kind of tree: Yugoslavian larch or just oak. And, also these poles are covered with a thin layer of ooze and it prevents them from decay. Among Venice sightseeings are: Chiesa di San Giacomo di Rialto – it is one of the oldest churches, Rialto bridge, Piazza San Marco, Basilica di San Marco (an amazing cathedral). Besides, to my mind the best possible way to have rest here after all these places to visit – is to sit in one of the comfortable coffee-bars, scattered throughout the city, drink a cup of hot tea or chocolate and enjoy the atmosphere of calmness and serenity.
