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Nicosia Cyprus

INTRODUCTION

Known locally as Lefkosia, Nicosia is the capital and largest city in Cyprus. Located in the central region of Cyprus, the city is also the seat of the Cyprus government and the main business center of the country. Nicosia is the only remaining divided capital city in the world. In the north of the city are the Turks, who invaded in 1974, and in the south are the Greeks.

HISTORY

The Nicosia area has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. Nicosia became the capital of the island in the 9th or 10th century, under the Byzantine Empire. In the 12th century Richard the Lionheart, on his way to the Holy Land and the start of the First Crusade, took control of Cyprus and then sold it to the Templars, who quickly drove out the local population. The island was bought by the King of Jerusalem, Guy de Lusignan, and fortified. The next rulers, The Venetians, further fortified the city, but that did not stop the Ottoman's from taking control in the 1500's. The 19th century was a bad period for the island: in 1821 the Greek War of Indepedence was squashed by the Turks, in 1855 cholera hit the city, and in 1857 a fire nearly destroyed it. In 1878 rule of the island was tranfered to the British Empire, until Cyprus gained independence in 1959. In 1963 trouble broke out between the majority Greek Cypriots and minority Turkish Cypriots, Nicosia was divided into Greek and Turkish quarters by U.N. officers using a green pen, and the line of division became known as the Green Line. The Turks tried a coup in 1974, but to this day the country remains divided by the Green Line.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Climate: Nicosia has a mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and abundant sunshine all year long.

ATTRACTIONS

The historical center of Nicosia is located within the Venetian city walls, 4.5 meter thick walls built in the late 16th century. The heart of the city is Eleftherias Square (Freedom Square), where you can find the city hall, the post office, and the library. The old city is a very lively part of the town with many narrow streets, boutiques, and cafés. There’s an old church called Agia Fanomereni, which was built in 1872, where the Archbishop and some other Bishops rest. The Palace of the Archbishop can be found at Arkhiepiskopos Kyprianos Square. Next to the palace is the Gothic St. John Cathedral with picturesque frescos.

Nicosia is also home to fine museums such as the Byzantine museum in the Archbishop's Palace, which contains the largest collection of religious icons on the island, or the Leventis Municipal Museum, the only historical museum of Nicosia, which revives the old ways of life in the capital from ancient times up to our days.

There is also a number of mosques to be found in Nicosia. The Selimiye Mosque is the chief mosque in the Turkish part of Nicosia and the great festivals of Bayram and other Muslim gatherings are conducted here. Other famous mosques are Haydarpasha Mosque and Arabahmet Mosque.