Basilica of Panagia Limeniotissa was built in the early 5th century, when Cyprus was part of the Byzantine empire.
Originally the church consisted of 3 aisles with 2 rows of marble columns, an apse and a narthex. The floors and walls of the church were decorated with geometric mosaics. Today visitors can view the columns and remains of the mosaics.
The basilica was almost destroyed during the Arab raids of 653 AD. The Arabs invaders used the church as workshops, stables and living quarters for the army garrisoned here, some of the columns still have inscriptions in Arabic.
Then, in 688 AD, the Arabs left Cyprus, and the church was restored as a 3 aisled barrel vaulted basilica albeit on a smaller scale than before.
In 1159 AD, the basilica was destroyed again. This time, by an earthquake.
In the following years a smaller structure was built upon the ruins but it too was destroyed by an earthquake in 1222.
The church was then forgetten and left to fall into ruin. For many years the exact location of the basilica was unknown, with Panagia Limeniotissa first rediscovered in 1937 and was officially excavated in 1959.
