Page 31 - TREASURES 2023

E X P L ORE

Looking Towards Tomorrow

The Limassol

Castle area
has been

infused with
fresh energy,

connecting the
city’s illustrious

past with the
present and

future.

Limassol’s Port
SITUATED IN THE HEART of the old town just in their many different forms. Large, high-quality Beginning in 2010 and ending in 2014, the
above the old harbour, the castle was built in the carobs were intended for human consumption. renovation of the old port of Limassol, funded
13th century on the site of an earlier Byzantine The rest were processed and ended up in carob by the Cyprus Ports Authority, has given
Castle. Tradition has it that Richard the Lionheart cubes (animal feed), as carob flour (a chocolate of Memory the entire area a fresh perspective. Twenty
married Berengaria of Navarre here and crowned substitute), or as pellets (for the production of new buildings were constructed combining
her Queen of England in 1191. The first official glue). Cyprus produced an average of 50,000 traditional, cultural and commercial facilities,
Vasilissis Verengarias
reference to the fort dates to 1228 and since tons of carobs. During that time, there were including restaurants, snack bars, bars, shops,
Street. On its left,
then the castle underwent a lot of damage from approximately 2,000,000 carob trees on the warehouses that now Linking the city’s past a fish market and office spaces. Meanwhile
earthquakes. Today, the fort, which has suffered island, with an average production of 25 kilograms house dining and event with the present, its historical two other existing buildings were renovated,
venues. On its right, the
many invasions over the centuries, attracts each. Thus, in 1960, Cyprus ranked third in the one becoming an exhibition space, the other
south side of the Castle,
many visitors as it houses the Medieval Museum production of carobs, after Spain and Italy. which we see in its current old port is now referred a restaurant. Other outdoor designated works
of Cyprus. Another point of huge interest is the form (picture above). to as the Jewel of Limassol. included the construction of a pedestrian
city’s Carob mill’s warehouses located nearby, bridge, redesigning outdoor areas with squares
which were constructed in different phases and fountains, planting trees, and creating
from 1890 to 1940, exporting carobs to Great pedestrian walkways, bicycle paths and
Britain, Russia, Romania and Egypt at the start ORIGINALLY built in the 1950s, the old port parking spaces. The project itself represents
of the 20th century. The carob trade flourished of Limassol served the country's freight and the Cyprus Ports Authority’s social contribution
in Cyprus during the period of British rule. As passenger traffic for about two decades. After to the citizens of Limassol with the objective
Limassol was one of the main ports used to the construction of the city’s new port in of upgrading the quality of life within the city
carry out this highly lucrative economic activity, 1973, along with the evolution of the shipping while improving the character of the area.
several warehouses were built near the sea in industry, the old port's use became limited to Today, the old port of Limassol with its new
order to store and process the carobs. One of serving fishing boats and pleasure boats, along cosmopolitan character is rightly referred
the first warehouse complexes, part of which with port police and the navy’s boats. to as the jewel of Limassol. Finally, the large
was constructed during the Turkish occupation, The Limassol Old Port area itself has great square within the Old Port as well as the
is located right next to the Medieval Castle of A panoramic aerial image historical significance as it is part of the wider closed Multiplex or “Plevsis” Building both host
of the port displays all of
Limassol. The Limassol port had a central role the project works that city's region, which includes the cultural and charitable, cultural, social, musical and sports
in the export of carobs, which had been named PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK went into modernising the historical centre of the Medieval Castle, situated events, which are organised at regular intervals,
"black gold" due to their value. Cypriot carobs historical port of Limassol, in the heart of the old town, the embankment attracting locals and foreigners to this new and
adding to the city’s allure
were very popular on the international market, and public spaces. area and the commercial area of the old town. wonderful part of the city.

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