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Nicosia CyprusINTRODUCTION 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 centre of the country. Nicosia is the only remaining divided capital city in the world. In the north of the city is the Turks, who invaded in 1974, and in the south 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 during the Byzantine Empire. In the 12th century, on his way to the Holy Land and the start of the First Crusade, Cyprus was taken control of by Richard the Lionheart and then sold to the Templars, who were quickly driven out by the local population. The island was bought by the King of Jerusalem, Guy de Lusignan and fortified. The next rulers, The Venetian's 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 the city. 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 the UN officer 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 ATTRACTIONS RESTAURANTS LODGING PERSONAL STORIES 
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