Kyrenia Castle | Kyrenia The history of Kyrenia castle, shares its origin with the mountain castles and was built by the Byzantines for the same defensive reasons, to repel the Arab raiders of the 7th C. It is possible that […]
This bastion is adjacent to the modern entrance to the harbour, it is named after the Commander of the Ottoman forces who succeeded in effecting a successful entry into the city by riding his horse into the whirling wheel that […]
Turtles in North Cyprus There are two species of turtles that nest in the sand of the Cyprus beaches, and together with other islands of the Mediterranean and the coastline of Turkey, there are conservation sites continually monitored during the […]
The Land Gate and Ravelin | Famagusta The land gate is probably as old a building within the city as the citadel, though the current bridge and gateway entrance are relatively modern. The road now passes through one of the […]
Sultan’s Library | Nicosia At the eastern end of the Selimiye mosque, there is a paved pedestrian area where the Sultan’s Library is to be found. It is a square unprepossessing building with a domed roof and most of the […]
The Karpaz Peninsula | North Cyprus There are still areas of Cyprus that have remained virtually unchanged for hundreds of years. Only the passage of time has left tell-tale marks upon the terrain and the shoreline. The wind has bent […]
This 14th Century church built during the Lusignan period is, after the Selimiye mosque, the most impressive and beautiful piece of Gothic architecture left standing in Nicosia. It is a single aisle structure, elegantly understated in the simplicity of its […]
This was the second of the two main entrances to the city during medieval times, giving access to travellers from the harbour. The sea gate we see today was constructed by the Venetians and was built by Nicolo Prioli in […]
Very close to the Epiphanios basilica is the cathedral-like cistern that provided water for the entire city. The water was transported through an aquaduct that was 45 miles long from a spring in the Kyrenia mountain range. Of the aquaduct, […]
Ataturk Square | Nicosia Continuing along Girne Caddesi, it is a five minute walk to Ataturk Square, formerly Konak Square, dominated by the granite column that is topped with a bronze sphere. This column was a symbol of Venetian rule […]