Located in the Larnaca district, about 6 km from the southern coast of Cyprus, the Neolithic settlement of Choirokoitia sits on the slopes of Maroni valley. The settlement was occupied from the 7th to the 5th millennium B.C. and remains as one of the most important prehistoric sites in the eastern Mediterranean. The site was discovered in 1934 by the director of Antiquities in Cyprus, Porfyrios Dikaios.
Once gaining access to the archaeological site, one can follow the “archaeological trail”, which is sign posted, for a circular tour through the well-preserved and maintained prehistoric site.
The site contains both the remains of the original settlement and an area where the buildings, have been reconstructed using the same building methods and materials that were used during the Neolithic period.
The exceptional architecture of the settlement showcases how the site was during the Neolithic era and the evolution of human society. Based on the findings it seems that several round buildings with flat roofs, made of mud, mudbricks, and stone, created a house.
The site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in December 1998.
“Choirokoitia was included in the World Heritage List for three basic reasons: It is the most important archaeological site of the Neolithic period that reflects the expansion, the permanent habitations of settlements, and the role of Cyprus in the spreading of the Neolithic civilization from the eastern Mediterranean to the West (7th millennium – 4th millennium B.C.)” Source: Cyprus National Commission for UNESCO
Location: Click here for directions
Telephone: +357 24322710
Operating Hours: Summer hours (16/4 - 15/9) - Monday - Sunday: 8:30 - 19:30
Winter hours (16/9 - 15/4) - Monday - Sunday: 8:30 – 17:00
Entrance Fee: €2,50
Opening and closing times as well as entrance fees, are subject to alterations without notice. Visitors are advised to check here before visiting.
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