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Introduction
Larnaca District is one of the six districts of Cyprus. Its capital is Larnaca. A small part of the district was occupied by the Turkish army in 1974, and is now de facto administered as part of Northern Cyprus' Lefkoşa District. Located in the district are Larnaca International Airport, the island's primary airport, and the Hala Sultan Tekke. In 2011, Larnaca District had a population of 143,192, of which 59% was urban.
History
Larnaca began life as the former city-kingdom of Kition was originally established in the 13th century BC. New cultural elements appearing between 1200 BC and 1000 BC (personal objects, pottery, new architectural forms and ideas) are interpreted as indications of significant political changes and the arrival of the Achaeans, the first Greek colonists of Kition.[5] Around the same time, Phoenicians settled the area. At the archaeological sites of Kiteon, remains that date from the 13th century BC have been found. Around 1000 BC, Kition was rebuilt by Phoenicians and it subsequently became a center of Phoenician culture. The remains of the sites include cyclopean walls and a complex of five temples and a naval port. It was conquered in the first millennium BC by a series of great powers of the region. First by the Assyrian Empire, then by Egypt. Like most Cypriot cities, Kition belonged to the Persian or Achaemenid Empire. In 450 BC, the Athenian general Cimon died at sea, while militarily supporting the revolt against Persia's rule over Cyprus. On his deathbed, he urged his officers to conceal his death from both their allies and the Persians. Strong earthquakes hit the city in 76 AD and the year after. Earthquakes of 322 AD and 342 "caused the destruction not only of Kition but also of Salamis and Pafos". Kition's harbor silted up, and the population moved to the seafront farther south, sometime after this. (Contributing factors to the silting are thought to have been earthquakes, deforestation and overgrazing.) The commercial port was located at Skala, during the Ottoman Period. Skala is the name of the seashore immediately south of the Larnaca castle and its neighborhood. The city is sometimes colloquially referred to as[citation needed] "Skala" (Greek: Σκάλα) meaning "ladder" or "landing stage", referring to the historical port. The Kamares aqueduct was built in 1747—bringing water to the city from a source around six miles (9.7 km) from the city.
Moden Larnaca
Today, with its excellent infrastructure, Larnaca has been a popular tourist destination for some years. The town is the home of a marina with a capacity of 200 yachts, a modern harbour, the international airport of Cyprus and countless water sports and leisure activities.. To the east, the town incorporates the Makenzy Beach tourist zone with many modern apartments and hotels. Larnaca is well known for its rows of palm trees, Oi Finikoudes, in the local Greek dialect, which can be found lining the picturesque sea-front.
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Landmarks & Attractions
The church of Ayios Lazaros in the centre of Larnaca town is one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture to be found on the island; and is the final resting place of St. Lazarus. The inscription: 'The friend of Christ' is engraved on his sarcophagus. Larnaca is also well known for the Salt Lake fills with water during the winter season and is visited by flocks of flamingoes who stay there from November until the end of March. It usually dries up in the summer. In the past, it yielded good quality salt scraped from the dried surface. The salt from the lake is now considered unsuitable for consumption. The Fort of Larnaca, located on the seafront, now houses the local Medieval Museum. It was originally built in the Middle Ages and used by the British as a prison. Away from the tourist areas, the Larnaca countryside has a diverse wealth of its own with traditional villages, narrow streets tiny churches, remote monasteries and scenic views. The villages surrounding Larnaca town are endowed with historical, natural and cultural riches. These traditional settings enhance and complement a wonderful natural environment, with local character and traditional architecture. Within this environment you can experience the traditions of the village people: the simple, serene rhythms of rural life, folk customs, daily activities and the authentic tastes of traditional cuisine; all filtered through the sense of genuine hospitality.
Economy
Larnaca's economy has been growing since 1975, after the loss of the Port of Famagusta, which handled 80% of general cargo, and the closure of Nicosia International Airport, meant that Larnaca's airport and seaport had increasingly important roles in the economy of the island. A €650m upgrade of Larnaca Airport has been completed. The service sector, including tourism, employs three-quarters of Larnaca's labour force. Many travel and tour operators and other travel-related companies have their head offices in Larnaca.
Climate
The climate in this area is described by the Köppen Climate Classification System as a hot semi-arid climate due to its low annual rainfall and strong summer drought. It is sometimes described as a mediterranean climate, but its winter rainfall is below the required amount to avoid the semi-arid classification.
Transport
The city's transport hubs are Larnaca International Airport and Larnaca Port—the Republic's busiest airport and second busiest port, respectively. Public transport in Larnaca is served only by buses.
Hospitals & Medical Centres
Larnaca Town has one General hospital as well as the St. Raphael private medical centre.
Education
There are over a hundred educational institutions in the city, including the American Academy, Larnaca Nareg Armenian school and the Alexander College.
Arts & Culture
Much of the activity is centered on the city promenade during the major festivals. The most important of these is Kataklysmos or the Festival of the Flood, celebrated in early summer with a series of cultural events. The festival used to last for about a week, but, in recent years, with the increased commercialism of peripheral stalls, rides and temporary lokmades restaurants, the festival has been extended to about three weeks, during which the seafront is closed to traffic in the evenings. Lokmades (or loukoumades) is a sweet delicacy. Museums found in Larnaca include the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum, Pierides Museum and Kyriazis Medical Museum. The beaches of Larnaca are lined with nearly identical seafood restaurants catering to tourists. Although there are many continental and international restaurants in Larnaca, visitors do not miss out on indulging in the local food. Many of the staple dishes involve beans, such as fasolaki (French beans cooked in red wine with lamb), and louvi me lahana (black-eyed beans with chard). Some of the standard appetizers are potato salad, kohlrabi salad, and hot grilled black olives. The next course may include Cyprus village sausage and sheftalia, dolmades and keftedes, kolokassi in tomato sauce, and several aubergine-based dishes. Baked or grilled lamb (souvla) usually appears somewhere in the course of dining, as does some kind of fish.
Sport & Recreation
Larnaca attracts windsurfers from around the world especially in autumn. Mackenzie Beach hosts windsurfing centre together with an extreme sports centre. There are also a several local sports arenas include GSZ Stadium, "Antonis Papadopoulos", and "Ammochostos".
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