Ancient Archeological Site of Kition, Larnaca

The Ancient Archaeological Site of Kition lies quietly at the heart of modern Larnaca, a living tapestry of Bronze‑Age grandeur and Phoenician-Greek cosmopolitanism. Established in the late 13th century BC by Mycenaean Greeks and later revived by Phoenician settlers from Tyre, Kition became one of Cyprus’s ten city-kingdoms, strategically anchored by its cyclopean fortifications and flourishing harbours.

As you step onto the Kathari (Area II) site, the remains of five ancient temples and massive ashlar walls emerge from the earth – a silent testament to rituals of Astarte and the early worship of Heracles‑Melqart. Excavations there reveal sacred stones, graffiti of ships likely related to the port, and workshops suggesting a city intrinsically linked to copper trade and maritime life.

Just a stone’s throw away lies the Bamboula mound, home to the city’s acropolis and the extraordinary Sargon Stele, inscribed in 707 BC and relocated to Berlin after its 1845 discovery. Here, sanctuaries of Astarte and Melkart stood alongside naval sheds for triremes, echoing Kition’s dual identity as a religious and naval powerhouse.

Today, visitors can explore both Kathari and Bamboula sites on foot, with a modest entry fee and peaceful garden paths linking them. For broader context, the nearby Larnaca District Archaeological Museum houses an array of finds-from Mycenaean pottery and copper implements to a replica of the Sargon Stele-nurturing a deeper understanding of this city’s layered history. Rich with tales of culture, conquest, and craft, Kition invites you to trace the roots of Cyprus’s ancient past.