Larnaca (18th c)

The most visible parts of the old water supply of Larnaca are the three series of arches better known as the 'kamares' (which means 'arches'), one series along the southeast exit road A5, the second south of the suburb 'Kamares Neighbourhood' and the third two km northwest of Dromolaxia, often called Grandioso, the Middle one, and the Lower one.
This 18th century Ottoman aqueduct had its sources in the riverbed of the Tremithos torrent. First the water was conducted by means of an underground water channel with a slight fall and accessible via a series of vertical shafts. In Cyprus this system is known as laoumi but may have its origin in Persia and better known as qanat. The second part used channels on substructions and arcades to conduct the fresh water.

Kamares, the old aqueduct of Larnaka At the exit from Larnaka towards the Limassol highway you see the most grandiose arches (kamares) of the 15 kilometers long, 18th century aqueduct of Larnaka. For the traveler the old aqueduct of Larnaka offers a interesting challenge. Walking straight line from these 1st arches at about 2-3 kilometers you arrive at the 2nd arches and after a walk of almost the same distance, but having to pass the airport 'by-pass highway', you arrive at the 3rd and lowest arches. At this point you have to look for the old grain mill, which was working with the aqueduct's water. And then for almost 8 kilometers up to the river, the water channel becomes underground, but every 250 meters you can see the 'visiting wells' of this unbelievable project, which channeled the water of river Tremithos to Larnaka till the 1950's.

Abou Bekir Pasha (1670 - 1758), one of the Ottoman governors of Cyprus, ordered the construction of this water supply system with its total length of 15 km: 8 km underground and 7 km on substructions and arcades. The actual builder was the dragoman (diplomat and interpreter) Kostantinos Christofakis; the work took him three years (1746 - 1748).

Water for Kition

"When we arrived in Kition no one received us in the city but we stopped at the city gate near the aqueduct and took a rest before moving on."

"Remains exist of ancient aqueducts, proving that even in those days it was necessary to bring the water from distant places ... " (Cobham 1909 pag 25).

The Abou Bekir Pasha aqueduct

Just south of the present Kiti dam in the Tremithos torrent, the church of Saint George of Arpera was built in 1745 by Konstantinos Christofakis, a man of Greek origin, an Ottoman official (dragoman) and contractor of the Larnaca aqueduct. A fresco in the church presents him and all his family offering the Church to Saint George to thank him, according to legend, for successfully completing the difficult project of the aqueduct.

Larnaca - KITION

Old and new supplies	Spring source	Access shaft	View towards the laoumi
Subterranean channel	Konstantinos Christofakis	Regulation box	Part of the overflow
Fountain of Sultan Tekkè	Kamares I	Water tight lining	Settling basin
The firts grain mill	Works before the mill	Back side of the mill	Kamares II
Settling basin	Lining of the channel	Kamares III	Two buttresses
Banknote with kamares	Cross-section	Remains of a basin?	Touzla fountain
Fountain near the mosque	Two surviving fountains	Pipes in the road talus	Covered channel in Kition
Ancient pipes and channels	Logo of the LWB