Troodos Geopark (Amiantos)
UNESCO Geopark center: the Troodos Mountains are a former ocean floor
The story
The Troodos Geopark Visitor Center stands on the site of an old asbestos mine near the village of Amiantos, in Limassol District; amiantos is Greek for “asbestos”. It was Europe’s largest mine of chrysotile, a type of asbestos. Mining began in the early twentieth century and stopped in the late 1980s. Since the mid-1990s the state has been stabilizing the spoil heaps here and planting trees. The center is in the restored school of the former mining village. Its exhibition explains that the Troodos Mountains are an ophiolite, that is, a piece of ancient ocean crust pushed up onto land. Since 2015 Troodos has been part of the European and Global Geoparks Networks.
The village of Amiantos is in the Troodos mountain range (not on the Karpasia Peninsula, the Mesaoria plain or the Pentadaktylos range). Worth remembering: Troodos is a UNESCO Global Geopark, and its mountains are made of ophiolite, that is, ancient ocean crust.
Visiting
According to the geopark website: open daily 9:00–16:00, last entry at 15:30, closed on official EU holidays. The website warns that the gates at the mine entrance are locked. Tickets: adults €3, children €2, groups of 10 or more €2 each. Hours may have changed, so check by phone: +357 25752401.
On the way
Photos
Sources
- Troodos Geopark — Troodos Geopark Visitor Centre (official geopark website)
- Geological Survey Department of Cyprus (Ministry of Agriculture) — Troodos UNESCO Global Geopark brochure, sections Prologue and History of the Amiantos Mine
- Deputy Ministry of Tourism — “Οδηγός της Κύπρου” 2026, section “Γεωπάρκο Τροόδους” (official guide)
- Exam question bank: “Το χωριό Αμίαντος βρίσκεται στην…” (unofficial breakdown)
This text was written by AI from open sources. An expert will still check it. Found a mistake? Write to us. Support
