ottoman
26 October, 2009
“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 […]
View some of the articles about Northern Cyprus below, or choose from one of the categories on the right. You can also perform a search about North Cyprus on the right hand side.
25 October, 2009
The Great Inn (Buyuk Han) | Nicosia This Great Inn is the most important Ottoman structure on the whole of the island. Construction began in 1572 under the guidance of Mustafa Pasha who was the first Ottoman governor of Cyprus […]
25 October, 2009
The Selimiye Mosque (Cathedral of St. Sophia) | Famagusta The name Sophia means “divine wisdom” and this great Gothic building erected during the Lusignan period was to be the most important church on the island. The foundation stone was laid […]
26 October, 2009
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 […]
25 October, 2009
Famagusta | North Cyprus Originally called Ammochostos (hidden in the sand), the town’s origin dates from about 275BC when it was settled by people from Egypt. The population increased and the port was established as the harbour of Salamis silted […]
25 October, 2009
The Martinengo Bastion | Famagusta Situated on the north west corner of the city this bastion is diamond shaped and was considered by the Ottoman forces to be impregnable. It is constructed on top of solid rock and maybe for […]
25 October, 2009
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 […]
26 October, 2009
Cyprus is an island that has been inhabited for over 9,000 years, from the Neolithic Stone Age to the civilised 21st century, mankind has walked this fertile land. Early settlers most probably came from nearby countries, with Turkey only 40 […]
25 October, 2009
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 […]
30 November, 2009
Kyrenia, with its picturesque harbour and adjacent castle is called the “Jewel of Cyprus”. It is, quite simply, exquisite! The town was probably founded circa tenth century BC and was one of the original city kingdoms. Its position on the […]
5 November, 2009
Turkish is spoken by over 63 million people worldwide, and originates from Ottoman Turkish, which dates back nearly 1,200 years. The Ottoman Turkish language was based mainly on Arabic and Persian, but was replaced under one of Ataturk’s reforms in 1928, […]