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Cypriot authorities have been trying to build shelters for the world-famous mosaics in Kato Paphos, but after 20 years of discussion it is still unclear when protective structures can be built.
The construction of a permanent shelter has been a topic of discussion for two decades, according to daily Phileleftheros, and it is now back in the news following the nearing of completion of a walkway. The pedestrian bridge will be the main connector between the ancient sites in Kato Paphos from the large are of the Archaeological Museum all the way to the Fabrika Hill area.
But the issue of placing shelters in order to protect mosaics from the elements, including rain, humidity, temperature and sunlight, has been raised numerous times at all bureaucratic levels. Phileleftheros further claims that nobody actually knows at which stage the whole process stands.
Local officials are calling on the state to “stop looking at the issue with indifference or obstruction” and are working on a new publicity campaign in order to put pressure on the departments that need to push the issue forward.
Local officials are working on a new publicity campaign to put pressure on the departments that need to push the issue forward
The protection and promotion of popular ancient sites, especially the world-famous mosaic floors, is a public duty, according to Paphos local officials, who also say they are shocked to see government agencies tolerating such inertia.
It is feared, further, that taking no action would be detrimental to efforts of restoring the mosaics as time goes by. Local officials say that this leaves a negative image which has been going on for too many years in this area.
The Paphos mosaics, discovered accidently by a local farmer in 1962, are considered among the finest in the eastern Mediterranean and are listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. They include ancient mosaic floors depicting various scenes from Greek mythology. Also known as “Pafos Mosaics, the sites are connected with the Aphrodite Cultural Route.
