Our first and last whole weekend in Cyprus was filled with purely cultural visits. To start the day, we met back up with our favorite tour guide we had been seeing all week. Going a little outside of Limassol, we visited a castle, used by the Crusaders and built during the 13th century. From the outside, the building looked like nothing more than a rectangular castle. However, we learned that the architecture was actually very unique, stacking each room and floor to be offset from one another, strengthening the foundation. I was surprised by the disproportionate size of everything. The ceilings were extremely tall, yet the stairwell and doorways were tiny. Even the fireplaces were six feet tall and the windows were a little bigger than slits in the walls. Nonetheless, the intricacies of the castle, the remaining art, and the interior design were extremely impressive. 

     Later in the day, we stopped by the Kourion archaeological site, located right outside Limassol in a town called Episkopi. Back in 0 B.C., Episkopi was occupied by the Romans, and they built their civilization up on cliffs, safe from raids, and in the hills with natural walls and security. Over 2,000 years later, many aspects of the city still remain. Beautiful mosaics are excavated and visible occupying a large amount of space in the area. Part of the reason we know the society was Roman is due to one of the mosaics picturing a figure holding a ruler the size of a Roman foot (different from a 12in foot). What I found to be the most impressive was their ability to create their own central heating under the floor. The Roman technique was to develop a system of rooms that alternated between hot and cold air. In turn, this would circulate the air that was being heated by a fire. Various obstructions would also aid in the circulation and movement of what is today known as a form of central heating. It is hard to believe that a civilization this old was able to develop such amazing techniques. It shows how people today are no more intelligent than those in 2000, we just have better technology to aid us in the development of our society.

The last element we visited at the Kourion archaeological site was an amphitheater. Clearly a recurring theme of this trip, the amphitheater is in a half-dome shape and can seat around 2,000 people. I was fascinated with the coordination of the structure. Being built such a long time ago without technology to aid in boosting acoustics, the builders were able to construct such a large theater and even pinpoint the place with the best projection, marked by a dot on the stage (still remaining today). Later in the day, we got lunch on the waterfront, at a restaurant with great views and fresh seafood.