go ahead for hotel on ancient site ... CMail

[cyprusmax47]

Interesting development finally to built a high class, extremely expensive project on the Paphos/Yeroskipou sea front, with artificial island etc etc... article today in CMail:

https://cyprus-mail.com/2020/09/03/dism ... ient-site/

Max

[Kili01]

Well, with the Bishop behind it, and the Govt looking for revenue , it was an opportunity too good to miss... but I also wonder what kind of pressure was put on the Antiquities Dept? to sanction this flagrant disregard for an ancient and interesting Archaeological site.

Sad.

Dee

[cyprusmax47]

In my opinion it is a positive move towards this project, specially now that Cyprus is in serious economical problems again with the Corona infections, while Mari explosion 2011 is not forgotten and the bailout funds then from EU and Laiki collaps.

What Cyprus needs is not more all inclusive hotels, but high class projects like this one. The €3.5 billion development project by Hungarian investor Atum includes the construction of an artificial island, university, two five-star hotels and a marina. It will create also 6000-10.000 jobs for Paphos area.

We have plenty other sites in Paphos/Yeroskipou from the same Hellenic period which could be excavated. For example the huge areas of Neapolis or the Animal rescue place, or behind the new EAC building in Paphos etc etc.


Max

[Dominic]

Not just that. There are still huge areas of the Archaeological Park that are waiting to be excavated properly. However, there are already plans to build on the Neapolis, so excavating that is a bit of a non-starter.

[Kili01]

Well thank goodness that the Archaeological Park which also includes much of Paphos Harbour area is a UNESCO Heritage site. Hopefully that area can't be 'developed'! Otherwise Kato Paphos could be a city of high rises... devoid of any historical and archaeological significance.
Though something which all Cypriots including Developers should remember is once an area is fully developed with wall to wall concrete, glass and steel its original charm and any original features are gone for ever.
Dee

[Kili01]

This development, however high class will just be another with so much to be built on one site. It will fill in the last gap in 'hotel row'. The question is, will Cyprus attract sufficient tourists to fill all the tourist beds which are available in Paphos? It is a town which already has a huge number of existing hotels.
Time will tell. Paphos has said good bye to what character it once had. It looks neither Cypriot or Greek in style.
Which is sad.

Dee

[PhotoLady]

There's still plenty of land to build hotels on without building over archeological sites.
We've been taken below ground by the manager of the Annabelle Hotel to see the other tombs there as well as the one just behind the waterfall so I guess plenty already have treasures below them.

Dee is correct, the small amount of character which Paphos once had has been eroded away. And really, does anyone see the need for another hotel in Paphos?

For those who visited Ayia Napa when it was just a tiny fishing village with the church in the centre and a handful of hotels, restaurants and bars - hold that thought, then go and look at Google maps...

It's crazy and it won't help tourism, nothing will - until there's a solution to the current situation.

We always came on holiday to Cyprus and explored the archaeology as well as taking our visitors to see the sites. It's never been a "pretty" little island by Greek standards with the prettiest harbour still being in the Turkish controlled north.

So, in the typical Cypriot way they will just go for the fast buck option and the easy way out.

There are ways to incorporate the archeology into a feature of a hotel, if they are willing to work with it sympathetically. We've seen it in Malta and it means the guests can enjoy it as an additional bonus to their stay.

Something tells me that won't be the case here....

[mike strand2]

We should always respect what we have of the past, for once it's gone, it's gone forever and in this case all for the greed of the church! What the church has to do with tourism is zilch, it's all about money, money, money. Hey, I feel a song coming on!

If as it seems the decision has been made, no doubt under great pressure, it does not mean that the archaeology has to be destroyed. The hotel & infrastructure can be designed above the remains and even be incorporated into it. There's evidence of this in ancient UK towns, where the careful planning of columns, drains etc can avoid the destruction. I just hope they have employed qualified architects and engineers who are sensitive to their responsibility.

[Yioula]

A rather ambitious development it’s not quite the place I would imagine the well heeled would stay they prefer seclusion total luxury in a natural environment Cyprus attracts mass tourism...........

[WHL]

Very easy to pontificate on all manner of things, when you are receiving, a guaranteed monthly pension, which gives you a decent standard of living,
for the majority of people here in Cyprus, trying to make a living is not easy, especially in these grim times,
I too enjoy history and archaeological sites, but some, are not as important as others, the problem is that any government has a hard balancing act on its hands, trying to provide work for its citizens whilst trying to preserve its sites,

[Kili01]

Well, WHL there is a ring of truth in what you say about citizens needing work, this is an oft repeated excuse for most constructions, but since its the greed of an already very wealthy church behind it, somehow it seems to lose something.
I hope that there will be local protests against building such a project here.
I agree with Photo Lady that this area part of hotel row, will be very unlikely to attract well heeled tourists. They prefer up market, secluded resorts with beautiful scenary