“You are welcome Sir, to Cyprus” – Othello, William Shakespeare. Cyprus is an island that has inspired writers throughout the ages. From William Shakespeare who set “Othello” at a sea port in Cyprus, through to the eighteenth and nineteenth century […]
Nicosia | North Cyprus The capital city of Cyprus is Nicosia, Lefkosa in Turkish, Lefkosia in Greek. It is the only divided capital city in the world and is the administrative centre for both the recognised Republic of South Cyprus […]
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 […]
On the north side of the palace lie the remains of the Franciscan church dating from early to mid 13th Century. There is little left intact, but it is an interesting example of ecclesiastical architecture. There is a very old, […]
The Twin Churches of the Templars and Hospitallers | Famagusta Close to the main square are the two 14th C churches that have undergone several periods of refurbishment yet for the most part stay resolutely closed. The interiors have little […]
Bellapais Abbey | Kyrenia The Abbey of Bellapais has drawn visitors to the island of Cyprus since medieval times when the abbey was built. From the pilgrims who trod the ancient paths in search of a miracle through to the […]
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 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 […]
Adjacent to the ticket office, the bath houses are the most visited part of the site. There is the central gymnasium or exercise ground that is surrounded by marble columns. These columns were not originally part of the gymnasium and […]
This is probably the most beautiful of the restored houses in the area adjacent to the Selimiye mosque and it can be found in the street that passes the Haydar Pasha mosque. Dating from the Lusignan period the house has […]