In Greco-Roman times, Paphos was the capital of the island of Cyprus. The remains of villas, palaces, theatres, fortresses and tombs give the town an exceptional architectural and historic value. Even so much so that UNESCO simply added the whole town of paphos to its World Cultural Heritage List. Among the countless treasures in Paphos are the remarkable mosaic floors in the elite villas dating from the third to the fifth century: the Houses of Dionysos, Theseus and Aion. The extensive and fine mosaic floors beautifully preserved after 16 centuries under the soil, are among the finest in the world. They mainly depict scenes from Greek mythology and are a major tourist attraction.