One of the most important development works in Limassol, the Olympian Coast, has been completed creating a unique elegant coastal front. Therefore, the Olympian Coast is today a unique path with a variation of colours, images and patterns which offers the visitor various options. This is a project of the Town Planning and Housing Department in cooperation with the Limassol Municipality. The area planning was based on the following main targets:

the formation of an organized beach in combination to a pedestrian path along the beach
The preservation of the natural surroundings and the physiognomy of the coast
The visual and functional relation of the beach with the current use of the beach
The respect towards the historical aspect of the area
The connection between the road and the beach
The provision of quality facilities along the area.

Seaside road

Town planning works
From Holiday Inn to the sea wall
Reconstruction in four traffic lanes
The part between Vironos Street and the GSO stadium
Plantation in the central isle
Underground road lighting

The construction of the recreation centre at the sea wall of the Limassol municipality is one of the most essential improvements of the city front. Due to the need of a functional relation between the city and the sea, the area offers the opportunity for the creation of a public space which can be visited and used by the people of Limassol as well as the visitors. Basic cultural and entertaining activities will regularly take place turning the area into a public central point of the town. The following proposal supports the balanced relation between natural and artificial elements aiming the best possible natural and functional participation in the coastal zone. In combination to the current restoration of the Olympian Coast, it aims at the restoration of the past close relation between the sea and the city and the historical restaurant Acteon.

The 1st Municipal Market is a listed stone building which consists of large halls and stores, 3000m2 in total and it covers a block in the old part of Limassol. The market was originally constructed in 1917, while Limassol was developing and expanding, and it has remained the same since 1947. Both the market and the traditional surrounding stores and restaurants used to be the commercial and social centre until the late 70s. Due to the rapid expansion of the town and the formation of commercial centres in the peripheral zone the importance of the market was eliminated during the following years. With the passage of time the market has been severely damaged and the old constructions are now considered inappropriate and unhygienic. The reconstruction and restoration of the building will be completed in two phases with an initiative by the City Board:

Phase A: Reconstruction of the main hall which is still used as a market. This includes reinforcement of the existing building, rearrangement of the halls, new electrical and mechanical facilities and maintenance of the exterior areas.

Phase B: The plan includes the creation of a cultural hall, a music stage, a coffee shop, a restaurant and a cultural information office. Instructions have also been given for the construction of the north-eastern part of the building which now accommodates the Multifunctional Youth Centre. Today the premises are used for cultural purposes.

The 2nd Municipal Market is located in the castle area, an area which has recently been upgraded and visited by a great number of people. With a decision by the City Board and in cooperation with the Association of Architects and Civil Engineers the reconstruction of the place and the use of the second market have been planned on a voluntary basis. The aim is the promotion of traditional products and professions. The development works have festively started in 1999 after the completion of the plan and the fund raising. The project included the restoration of the exterior and interior of the market building in cooperation with the Town Planning department.

Spiros Kyprianou Athletic Centre

The centre which was constructed by CSO with the support of the Limassol Municipality is located in Polemidia on the eastern side of the Limassol –Troodos high way. The project was the result of an architectural contest and was completed between July 2002 and September 2005. The centre provides a large arena where basketball, volleyball, handball games and Olympic sports can take place. There is room capacity for 6000 spectators. It consists of five levels and it includes the following: Martial arts hall, squash hall, wrestling rink, weightlifting hall, VIP reception hall, Media hall, offices, coffee shop, canteens, storage rooms, electrical – mechanical facilities, first aid hall, etc.
The latest technology has been installed as far as electrical – mechanical, ventilation, air-conditioning, lighting and control systems are concerned. A ticketing system has also been planned to be installed as well as a CCTV surveillance system. Additionally, the necessary electronic equipment has been installed for the flawless conduct of the games.

The centre facilities are surrounded by a parking lot which has been placed among greenbelts as an extension of the neighbouring forest.

The City Board of Limassol in a joined decision with the CSO has ordered the reformation of the GSO stadium. It will be turned into an open public sports centre for multiple activities. The old GSO is now regarded as a public sports park which offers a wide range of sporting activities and is considered as a place for public gatherings. The sporting facilities include fully equipped sporting halls, such as “futsal” and “handball”, jogging track, volleyball court, beach volley sand court and handball sand court. There is a fully equipped complex for the sports groups and coaches which consists of dressing room units, bathrooms, showers, etc. An indoors gym is located next to the dressing rooms.

Two gathering points (café/ bar – restaurant) are located on the ground floor and the bridge for the public. At the southern wing of the park a kiosk and a playground are designed to be built. The project is still under construction.

Franklin Roosevelt Complex

One of the important projects of the Limassol Municipality is the commercial centre in the junction of Demokratias Street and Franklin Roosevelt Avenue. The buildings are located in a very privileged position near the largest commercial port in Limassol and not very far from the city centre. The complex houses the Sewerage Board of Limassol, the Social Insurance Office and the District Lands Office of Limassol. This is a complex of buildings which consists of five luxurious buildings. They include stores, most of which are bright and easy to be reformed into a single joined hall, offices offering latest technology facilities, restaurant, underground parking area and other extra rooms.

The public exterior area provides a square for various events, the restaurant and stores.

Limassol Water Tower

The Water Tower was originally built in 1931. It is a unique project which aims at storing the water provided by the Limassol Water Board and provides the whole city with water. The Municipality of Limassol with the contribution of the Bank of Cyprus has completed the cleaning and painting of the metal monument. Additionally, the tower has been illuminated and various neighbouring pieces of land have been expropriated in order to prevent the construction of other new buildings which would block the view towards the tower. The project will be completed with the restoration of the tower site and the restoration of the listed building within the block.

St. John – St. Andrew connecting bridge.

This is a Town Planning and Housing project which was completed after a long term request by the residents of the two communities. The first phase of the project, which includes the construction of the bridge, has been completed. The second phase which includes a park is currently being designed.

Governor’s Residence

The listed building which used to be the residence of the Governor of Limassol will soon become the new archive museum of Limassol. The renovation of the building has already been completed and the surrounding area consists of: the creation of the archive and the research room, the lecture hall, the museum of the history of Limassol, maintenance of artifacts and workshop.

In June 2005 the President of the Republic of Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos inaugurated the Municipal Archive Museum Solonas Michaelides, a cultural gem of the city of Limassol. Personal photographs of Solonas Michaelides’ life and of significant moments of his career are exhibited in this classical elegant venue. Furthermore, important moments of the musical history of Cyprus are exhibited in the Museum, such as the Foundation of the first Greek orchestra in Cyprus in 1934 and the first oratorio presented in 1952. Additionally, there is an exhibition of music partiture manuscripts and editions of immense cultural value.

The building which houses the Municipal Museum Archive Solonas Michaelides has been connected with the nearby building which houses the Municipal Conservatoire.

It includes a Library, an events hall and a gallery.

The outdoor area, where events and concerts will take place, has also been renovated.

Garden – Theatre

The project was completed in two phases and it consists of:

new dressing rooms, stage upgrading
three concrete floor wings with a capacity of 1900 people and amphitheatrically arrangement
corridors and exits for the audiences’ safety
new operator’s room
installment of new seats
rearrangement of a room which will house the Dance Centre and the Philharmonic Orchestra of the municipality
construction of new modern restrooms

Panos Solomonides Cultural Municipal Centre

The theatrical museum will be housed in the Cultural Municiapl Centre Panos Solomonides which is a listed building named after the benefactor Panos Solomonides and formerly known as the Kouvas factory.

The building will house other cultural clubs as well.

The research for the restoration of the building has already been completed and it involves:

the renovation of the interior halls which will house the Cyprus theatrical museum
events and lectures halls
marine life, conchoidals and fossils museum
recreation hall

The project will be completed in three phases and it will cost approximately £2,000,000.

Square Restoration

The square which is the city’s most central and important spot was restored and upgraded in 2004. The study and design of the square was entirely completed by the Municipal Service between 2001 and 2002. The cost of the project was £1,000,000. After the completion of the project the square has been turned into a central part of the town. After the restoration a part of the District Office area has joined the square, traffic and parking places have been properly adjusted whereas the statue of Grigoris Afxentiou has been properly projected.

The town planning project consists of:

underground services
road reconstruction
pavement reconstruction based on regulations for the disabled
street illumination
square reconstruction
benches and trees
public restrooms and kiosk
connection of the square with Heroes Square with the reconstruction of Pavlou Mela and Andreas Drousiotis streets.

Heroes Square

The embellishment of the square and the maintenance of the monument there were achieved with the sponsorship by the Cooperative Bank of Limassol and the Town Planning – Housing Department. The project involves: reconstruction of the paving, renovation of four kiosks, cleaning of the monument, underground area restoration with the installment of new restrooms, traditional trees and plants plantation, lighting reinforcement, new furnishing.

The reconstruction of the square of Elenis Paleologinas was completed in the same area turning it into a beautiful small extension of the Heroes Square.

Reconstruction of St. Andrew’s Street.

underground services
road reconstruction
pavement reconstruction based on regulations for the disabled
street illumination

Part of St. Andrew’s street from Irinis Street to Ellados Street, has been turned into a pedestrian walk which makes it easier for the visitors to wander around this tourist part of Limassol. Additionally, the restoration of antiquities has been completed in Zik Zak Street. The works involve paving pedestrian walk, lighting for the projection of the antiquities and lighting decoration.

Town Planning Project from the Polemidia round about to the Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Centre. It consists of four traffic lanes and it has contributed significantly in the traffic conditions towards the mountain resorts as well as the access to and from Ekali with the installment of traffic lights at the junctions.

The Common Welfare Services have been constructed in underground premises according to the project. Main isles and pavements will soon be
planted.

Opening of Athinon Street

This is a Town Planning project.

Ellados Street and Athinon Street were joined after the expropriation and demolition of two buildings. Furthermore, a part of Saripolou Street and the square was further extended attracting locals and foreign visitors.

Ayia Fila Square Restoration

Due to the urban nature of the competition the specific project proposes ideas of various scales, such as the city scale and the scale of the area around the Ayia Fila church.

The main aim of the project is the preparation of the area’s infrastructure so that it can perform as a metropolitan community in the future.

Organisation of a wider study range in relation to the metropolitan area of Limassol.

There were suggestions for the use of methods for the promotion of the features of the Ayia Fila Area:

Connection to the designed metropolitan network and creation of new entries – reference points towards the historical centre of Ayia Fila.
Connection to the Polemidia Forest to the west with the extension of a greenbelt to one of the suggested entrances towards the historical centre.
Re – planting of the commercial axis which will become a main attraction for the residents of the neighboring communities.

Planning of the historical centre of Ayia Fila:

The project suggests optional interventions in the micro scale of the area to redefine the relation between private and public space.

The necessary conditions for upgrading the quality of public areas/ streets are created through the new traffic management.
As far as private places are concerned a new compound system of minor interventions is suggested which in some cases adds positive characteristics to the area and in others it proposes adjustments.

Planning of the area around the Ayia Fila church:

The specific area is known for the three following features:

the ability to connect the upper and lower neighbourhoods of the centre
the possibility of coexistence between the large metropolitan scale with the small scale of the area. The outsized church introduces the scale to the area.
The relations between religious and social world within the city.

The summers of 1999, 2000 and 2001 were landmarks in the history of the city. The Municipality of Limassol organized three consecutive sculpture symposiums. Fifteen artists from Cyprus, Greece and other countries participated and worked on the spot, some from twinned cities. Limassol’s sea front was turned to an open art workshop. Sculptures made of metal, concrete, stone and marble were place along the sea wall turning this busy path into a sculpture park of elegance making art known to the people of the city.

Lochagou Kapota
Geranion Likavitou
Sophias Vempo
Vasileos konstantinou
Parko CYTA

The restoration of the above areas includes fencing, rearrangement, creation of new paths, playgrounds, furniture and plantation.

In many other parks trees were planted and other areas were fenced so that the problem of excess parking could be solved.