Apollo Hylates

Are you interested in discovering the history of Cyprus? Then the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates is the place to visit. Its location is 2.5 km west of an ancient city called Kourion. The Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates is an important religious center where people used to worship him as Hylates, the god of forests. The ruins that remain in Limassol are there since the mid 1st century AD and the complex incorporated a treasury, an arena, the baths, an arcade, the circular monument, the temple of Apollo, the ancient mosque and the central courtyard. An earthquake destroyed the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates in 365 AD and after that it was captured by unlawful residents; however, a great number of the destroyed buildings were repaired.

Through different time periods, the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates changed and adopted new things accordingly. A wall is surrounding the Sanctuary and its entrance used to be either the Gate of Paphos or the Kourion Gate. To arrive at the temple of the god Apollo, visitors went from south to north since that was the Holy Way to it. The temple of Apollo has been through two different phases: the first one was from the early Hellenistic period or else late classical and the second one was in the 1st century AD. During prehistoric times, the temple opened and closed to the altar. Lastly, an earthquake ruined the temple in approximately 364/365 AD.

This is one of the multiple attractions in Limassol yet an essential one for the tourists who are more than just vacation makers but also explorers and adventurers. This temple and many other ancient remains within the city of Limassol, allow you to see what they island itself has been through up to now and give you an idea of its development throughout the years. If you are visiting Cyprus and you are interested in more than just enjoying its amazing beaches, then you should definitely make a stop at the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates.