Cyprus opens haunting new underwater sculpture park to attract diving tourists

·

Cyprus’ latest tourist attraction, the Museum of Underwater Sculpture of Ayia Napa (Musan), features a collection of 130 sculptures in a newly created Marine Protected Area.

The works at the museum, located in the resort town of Ayia Napa, range from botanical to figurative, including more than 90 sculptures by Jason deCaires Taylor, a British artist known for his site-specific creations that turn into artificial coral reefs.

Photograph: Costas Constantinou/Musan.

With more than 1,000 sculptures installed around the world, including the Great Barrier Reef, deCaires Taylor specifically works with a type of cement that enables coral growth.

The site of the museum is in a marine protected area in Pernera, on the south-eastern coast of Cyprus and was selected specifically in order to emphasise its protected status. The works are installed all the way down to about 10 metres and spread out across more than 167 metres of sand.

Photographs: Jason deCaires Taylor/Musan.

Musan’s sculptures are made of sea materials, including stones, rocks and shells, and are meant to live harmoniously among the marine life. The museum has stated its intent to enrich the biodiversity of the area to allow the sculptures to turn into coral reefs and eventually an “underwater forest.”

Tourism is also a goal for the Cyprus government, which has backed the establishment of the museum. In 2014, the Ayia Napa municipal council proposed the idea and work began on Musan three years later. According to the Cyprus Mail, the cost of the museum has reached €1 million.

Visitors can dive or snorkel Musan for free, although reservations must be made ahead of time. The surrounding area will also have diving centres and schools for visitors.

Source: The National News.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Kia ad sparks outrage among Greek Australians over ‘Macedonian Marble’ reference

Kia Australia faces backlash from Greek Australians over an ad showing “Macedonian Marble” alongside Parthenon-style columns.

Unley High students enjoy second annual cultural immersion trip to Melbourne

The Unley High School Greek language programme successfully conducted its second annual interstate cultural immersion trip to Melbourne.

Tass Mourdoukoutas among departures as Perth Glory begin squad shake-up

Tass Mourdoukoutas is set to leave Perth Glory, with the club confirming his departure alongside three other players.

Panathinaikos unveil special jersey for Pavlos Giannakopoulos Tournament in Australia

Panathinaikos AKTOR has revealed a special edition jersey for the upcoming Pavlos Giannakopoulos Tournament in Australia.

Beloved International Cakes owner Bill Batzogiannis passes away

Melbourne’s Greek community is mourning the loss of Vassilis “Bill” Batzogiannis, beloved owner of International Cakes.

You May Also Like

Can the Mediterranean ‘best diet overall’ get even better?

Ranked the “Best Diet Overall” for the 7th year in a row in 2024, the Mediterranean diet’s health benefits are well known.

Language teachers praised by the new NSW Government

Language teachers praised by the new NSW Government at the annual conference of community language teachers on Saturday in Sydney.

Lost WWII submarine discovered in Aegean after 81 years

The lost British submarine "H.M.S. Triumph" has finally been discovered in the Aegean Sea by Greek researcher Kostas Thoktaridis and his team.