Filenews 12 January 2026 - by Natasha Christoforou
Lost in bureaucracy and especially in the reluctance to adopt practical solutions, in order to overcome obstacles and initiate the procedures, have been the archaeological demands of Larnaca for years.
The most important is the grandiose project of creating an Archaeological Park, through the unification of the archaeological sites of ancient Kition, which was supposed to start in 2024, however the architectural competition was not even announced. The first phase of the project, estimated at €4 million, includes the unification of the Archaeological Museum with the site of the ancient port and Agiou Neophytou Street, on which a large mosaic with the Labours of Hercules was located in 2016, during the works for the sewerage.
For two years now, the procedures have been moving at a tragically slow pace and the unthinkable thing is that no one is able to say when the project will start. And this at the expense of the city that has emerged as the European Capital of Culture and as everything shows, in 2030 it will not be able to show off some of its most important archaeological treasures.
"F" highlighted the issue again through a major report in January 2025 and a year later asked the Deputy Ministry of Culture for timetables for the start of the works, given the discomfort that the Larnaca institutions are now publicly expressing about the delays attributed to the Department of Antiquities. The answers not only do not clarify the landscape, but also increase the questions, mainly because it seems that the road to the project is very long.
The response in relation to the timetables initially focused on the actions of the Department of Antiquities in Larnaca, in which, as it is claimed, "large-scale excavations, but also continuous conservation projects of the monuments" were carried out, which "have enriched the tourist product and the quality of life". In particular, reference is made to the renovation of the Archaeological Museum and to a "large-scale" conservation project of the Medieval Castle.
As far as the unification of the archaeological sites of Kiti is concerned, it is reiterated that two of the four expropriations of plots are pending (as last year). "The owners of the remaining two initially proceeded with objections. These were awarded, in accordance with the prescribed procedures by the Council of Ministers and rejected, however their owners insist on obstructing the expropriation and proceeded to appeal to the Administrative Court two years ago, which has not yet been heard.
The Deputy Ministry of Culture, having exhausted its own possibilities to expedite the expropriations, has asked ETAP Larnaca and the city authorities to exert their influence on the owners for a project that will benefit the entire city. The relevant architectural competition cannot proceed without all four expropriations having been completed", it is noted.
The answer regarding a pending excavation in the area of a house that was demolished and is related to the famous mosaic with the Labors of Hercules is impressive. "The Department of Antiquities achieved the release of the plot for demolition of the house in the fall of 2025. However, due to the heavy rains of that period, the plot was flooded. Therefore, the Department asked the Municipality of Larnaca to proceed with appropriate projects to divert the slope of rainwater and to contribute to ensuring the required number of excavation workers." According to the mayor of Larnaca, however, the rainwater projects have been carried out by the Larnaca District Self-Government Organization. He indicated that he is not aware of the issue that arises "to find workers from the Municipality to help with the excavations".
The Deputy Ministry of Culture did not give a clear answer to the request repeatedly submitted by the Larnaca authorities for a partial execution of the project, so that at least the port of ancient Kition, which is not accessible, can be visited by the public, even though the tennis courts have been removed since 2020.
"The problem that delays the progress of the project is that an architectural competition cannot proceed without all four expropriations having been completed, as mentioned above. Given this obstacle, a counter-proposal has been put forward for the partial execution of the project, i.e. to open to the public only the mosaic on Agiou Neophytou Street. This suggestion is not feasible as there are insurmountable technical difficulties. The partial implementation of the project will not benefit the city as much as we would like," it is indicated.
It is noted that as indicated by the question posed by our newspaper, the request concerns the ancient port and not the area of the mosaic. "Our position is that the project should be done in parts and the ancient port should be opened soon. There could be an architectural competition for a single plan, but the project could be carried out in phases and the first should be the unification of the museum and the ancient port, where there are no issues with expropriations", stressed the mayor of Larnaca, adding that an effort will be made again with the Department of Antiquities, in order to find a solution.
The Larnaca ETAP recently raised its discomfort with the delay of the project to the Deputy Minister of Culture. In a caustic statement, ETAP had stated that the issue "has been stagnant for years" and noted that its representatives "expressed their dissatisfaction, pointing out that, despite repeated efforts and the positive climate that exists at the political level, the constant refusal of the Department of Antiquities to promote the necessary steps has led to complete immobility".
The rest of the requests are also referred over time
The request for the promotion of the burial chapel of Agios Therapontos, which was located near a gas station, also remains stagnant. "As with the relocation of the oil and gas facilities from the coastal front of Larnaca, our wish is an equally generous relocation of the gas station and the car wash operating above the burial monument, so that the monument can be highlighted," says the Deputy Ministry of Culture.
However, the requests for the inclusion of the church of Panagia Angeloktisti and Hala Sultan in the UNESCO World List of Monuments are not progressing at a satisfactory pace either. For the first there was a negative preliminary answer and the arguments are awaited, while the request for Hala Sultan is postponed in the long run.
"The inclusion of the church of Panagia Angeloktisti in the UNESCO World List of Monuments is a standing request of the city and the Deputy Ministry of Culture submitted the church's candidacy within 2025. The preliminary evaluation report may have been negative, but we continue. We will come back immediately with arguments to UNESCO, with the aim of preparing a candidacy file. The relevant candidacy of the Hala Sultan Tekke mosque is another excellent idea that will be considered at a later stage, since for the time being priority is given to the candidacy of Panagia Angeloktisti."
Another excellent idea, however, is for the Deputy Ministry of Culture to investigate the reasons for such long delays in the utilization and promotion of the archaeological wealth, not only of Larnaca but of the whole of Cyprus and to launch the solutions required.
