Ancient Monuments Damaged by Fire in Limassol Mountains

Eight ancient monuments have been damaged by the recent fire in the Limassol mountains, according to statements by the Deputy Minister of Culture, Vasiliki Kassianidou, to CYBC. Ms. Kassianidou, along with a team from the Department of Antiquities, will visit the affected areas tomorrow, Monday, to assess the damage and take measures.

Among the monuments affected are the watermill in the Kapsalia area, in Kissousa, the medieval bridge in the Eliomylos area, in Potamiou, as well as ruins from the early Christian period and churches in the Souni-Zanatzia and Chiliantris areas.

The Deputy Minister emphasized that the fire not only destroyed property and infrastructure but also affected important monuments. She also mentioned that 57 category B monuments, including churches, have not been damaged.

The government is collecting information to get a complete picture of the problems and take the necessary measures to restore the monuments. Ms. Kassianidou will also meet with the community leaders to discuss possible cancellations of cultural events and the provision of financial support to artists.

The Deputy Ministry of Culture is also exploring ways to utilize the budget for health and culture issues in order to support the communities and people affected by the disaster.