The harbour of Amathus was obviously visible from the coast at the time of its construction. However, climatic changes, natural phenomena and human interventions modified the geomorphology of the coastal zone. As a result, the harbour is today completely submerged, at a depth ranging from 1 to 4 metres, and is among the best-preserved ancient port sites in the eastern Mediterranean. Today, the area still attracts human activity, no longer by mariners, craftsmen or plunderers, but by walkers and swimmers, who seek to engage with the sea through leisure, thus adding a new chapter to the long history of the Amathusian coast.

The harbour of Amathus is a monument of natural and cultural heritage, as the nearly enclosed area of the ancient harbour created favourable conditions for the development of remarkable biodiversity. Dense meadows of Posidonia oceanica, which is a very important habitat for growth, feeding, protection and reproduction of different species of marine flora and fauna, have grown around and over the architectural remains. All these features played a key role in including the harbour within the Marine Protected Area of Amathus, which extends over an area of 175 hectares.

Posidonia, a plant bearing leaves, stem, roots and seeds, is signifi cantly diff erent from seaweeds that have a simpler structure and just bear leaves. Posidonia meadows are among the most important endemic seagrass species of the Mediterranean. They have been characterized as the ‘lungs of the Mediterranean’ because they contribute signifi cantly to the production of oxygen, just like trees do on land. At the same time, they absorb more than double the amount of carbon dioxide per surface in comparison to terrestrial forests.

The meadows also act as sediment traps; they can confine suspended particles and reduce the concentrations of various pollutants in the water. Their dense foliage, which can reach a height of up to 1m, absorbs part of the wave energy as it creates a natural wall against coastal erosion. At the same time, their root system penetrates deep into the substrate and absorbs large amounts of carbon dioxide, contributing to mitigate climate change.

A variety of marine flora species grow at the harbour of Amathus. Different species of macroalgae are attached to the architectural remains, as well as on the leaves or among the shoots of Posidonia. For their part, these macroalgae provide food and shelter to range of species of marine fauna.

Invertebrate communities - like sponges, cnidarians, polychaeta, ascidians and echinoderms - grow among the dense Posidonia shoots. The meadows also attract a plethora of juvenile and adult fish, and other species of fauna that use the area for reproduction, resting or feeding.