Photo credit: Lefteris Katsouromallis
- Cyprus is also called The Island of Love. The legend has it that the Greek goddess of love Aphrodite near Paphos, Cyprus,
- Mark Anthony gave Cyprus to the Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, as a gift.
- After conquering Cyprus, King Richard the Lionheart wed Berengaria of Navarre at Limassol on May 12, 1191.
- In 1960, Cyprus became a Republic after gaining its independence from the United Kingdom.
Photo credit: Oliver Kratzke
- The oldest perfumery in the world was discovered in Cyprus.
- There is archaeological evidence of human presence on the island in the 10th millennium BC.
- The capital of Cyprus, Nicosia, after Berlin was unified is the only capital in the world divided between two nations which are North Cyprus and South Cyprus.
Photo credit: michael kofteros
- The island of Cyprus is split into two territories, the Green Line (UN buffer zone) splits the Greek South Cyprus and the self – declared Republic of Northern Cyprus.
- Cyprus and Greece share the same national anthem.
- The Venetians ruled Cyprus from 1489 to 1571.
- Cyprus has one of the Europe’s most southerly ski resorts.
- Halloumi known as the ‘squeaky cheese’ is the traditional white cheese of the island of Cyprus.
- Commandaria is the sweet dessert wine known as the oldest manufactured wine in the world, dating back to 2000 BC.
Photo credit: Malcolm Browne
- Cyprus has one of the best dive sites in Europe, the wreck of Zenobia which is one of the top ten wreck dives in the world.
- ‘Othello’, the Shakespeare’s play was set on the island of Cyprus.
- Cyprus is one of the few places in the world where the Loggerhead and Green Sea Turtles nest.
- Kahvehane are traditional coffee houses in Cyprus, famous meeting places, once restricted only for men.
- In the ancient world, Cyprus used to be one of the richest nations due to its enormous amount of natural bronze and copper
Photo credit: Thomas Sagory
resources exported from the island.
Photo credit: Lefteris Katsouromallis
