The town of Lemesos (Limassol) is situated between the ancient towns of Amathus and Curium.

The English King Richard the Lionheart destroyed Amathus in 1191. Lemesos (Limassol) was probably built after Amathus had been ruined. However, the town of Lemesos (Limassol) was inhabited since the very old times. Graves that were found there date back to 2.000 B.C. and others date back to the 8th and 4th century B.C. These few remains that were left behind show that a small colonization must have existed which did not manage to develop and flourish.

According to the Synod which took place in 451 B.C.; the bishop of Theodossiani Sotir as well as the bishops of Amathus and Arsinoe were involved in the foundation. Theodossiani is regarded the same as Lemesos (Limassol) was known later as Neapolis. The records of the 7th Synod (787) refer to it as the bishop's see. The town was known as Nemesos in the 10th century. Constantine Porfyrogennitos refers to the town by this name.

The history of Lemesos (Limassol) is largely known by the events of 1191 A.D. that put an end to the Byzantine dominion of Cyprus. The king of England, Richard the Lionheart, was travelling to the Holy Land in 1191. His fiancιe Berengaria and his sister loanna, (Queen of Sicily), were also travelling on a different ship. Because of a storm, the ship with the queens arrived in Lemesos (Limassol). Isaac Comnenus, the Byzantine governor of Cyprus, was heartless and cruel, and hated the Latins very much.







Limassol City Center.

Municipal Market. Λεμεσός Κέντρο Πόλης - Α΄ Δημοτική Αγορά