Nicosia(Lefkosa)

Lefkosa is the commercial and political capital of North Cyprus, and lies in the central plain of the island. It is not a large city with a population of around 40,000 which is more than doubled during the day by commuters.

The Venetian wall surrounding the old town creates an intruding atmosphere when contrasted with other more modern buildings. north Lefkosa strikes the visitor as an ad hoc mixture of old and new, ancient and modern. There is the covered market or Bandabulya in which the sellers and produce on offer never seam to change. It stands next to the Latin Cathedral in which the kings of Cyprus used to be crowned. Dotted around the walled city are the other places to visit and buildings which have been restored to their former glory, notably the Buyuk Han, a caravansary.

The physical divid between the two major ethnic communities on the island is also clearly visible in this part of town.

Lefkosa offers a number of good restaurants and cafes in the central area and also a wide selection of jewelers, boutiques and shops selling just about anything from bathroom fittings to musical instruments.

Despite being the capital city Lefkosa still bears the same laid-back character as the rest of North Cyprus, only in an urban setting.

The first known settlements in the area appeared in the early and middle Bronze Age. It is known that a city(at the time called Ledra)existed in the 7th century B.C. which paid tribute to the Assyrians. Much later in the 3rd century B.C. the city of Levkos was founded by Soter 1.son of Ptolemy.

The name Nicosia appeared towards the end of the 12th century A.D. when the city was owned and run by the Knights Templar. It is said that under the Frankish rule of that time, Nicosia flourished into a beautiful city of parks, palaces, squares and some 250 churches.

During the Venetian rule(1489-1570)the size of the city was deliberately reduced. The Venetians, fearing an Ottoman invasion strengthened the city walls and laid waste to all the buildings outside the fortifications in order to have a clear view of any approaching invader. The unfortunate result was that much that remained as a reminder of the Frankish presence in Lefkosa had been lost.

In 1570 despite the great efforts of the Venetians, the Ottomans under Selim ll. took Nicosia. During over 300 years of Ottoman rule catholic churches were converted into mosques.

For over 400 years north Lefkosa has been predominantly Turkish so there is an abundance of Ottoman architecture which can still be appreciated today.

When the British took over the administration of the island in 1889 Lefkosa kept its status as the islands capital and the British government buildings of the central area of north lefkosa still stand as memorials to Lefkosa`s colonial past.

Places To Visit

Kyrenia Gate.

This is the entrance to the walled city from Kyrenia. The fortified walls were built by the Venetians to keep out the eventually successful Ottoman invaders. Today roads built by the British run through the gate.

Selemiye Mosque(St. Sofia Cathedral)

This is an outstanding example of Gothic architecture. Building began in 1209 but the Cathedral was not officially consecrated until 1326. It contains all the hallmarks of the great French cathedrals of the time. In 1570 following the Ottoman conquest of the city, it was converted into a mosque which had for us the fortunate consequence of ensuring its preservation and upkeep, although many overtly Christian artifacts and decoration were removed.

The Great Inn

This two-storeyed equivalent of a motel was built in 1572 by Muzzafer Pasha, the first Ottoman Governor-general of Cyprus.
It has 68 rooms in the familiar rectangular form and there is a small mosque in the middle of the central courtyard. This building is a typical example of the inner city commercial inns to be found in Anatolia.

The Turkish Baths

The Buyuk Hamam or Turkish bath was built on the ruins of the Church of St. George of the Latins. Of the church, only this arch remains of the bath itself is a classical Ottoman Turkish building. The road surface has gradually risen over the centuries and is now some 2 meters above original level.

Venetian Column

In the middle of the Atatürk square stands a twenty-foot high granitic column erected by the Venetians as a symbol of their rule.
It was torn down during the Turkish conquest, but re-erected by the British early this Century. Capping the column is a copper globe which replaces the original Lion of St. Mark, which has been lost.

Arabahmet Mosque

This Mosque was built by the Ottoman Turks in 1845 and boasts a l6th Century style dome. In the courtyard of the mosque is a beautiful fountain for ablutions before prayers.

Gamblers Inn

Motel for traveling merchants. Built in the 17th Century during Ottoman rule over Cyprus, built in style of Karavanserei.

The Dervish Pasha's Mansion

This two-storeyed mansion is situated within the city walls of Nicosia in the Arabahmet quarter, which is rich in buildings of architectural and historical interest. It was built in the early l9th Century by Dervish Pasha and it is used as the Ethnographic Museum.

The Stonework Museum Lapidary Museum

About 50 yards east of the Selimiye Mosque is to be found the Stonework Museum, displayed in a l5th Century house built in the Venetian style. There are many fine examples of different kinds of stonework dating from the Middle Ages. The most remarkable to be seen are the tombs of the Dampierre family and the 13th Century stone of Adana from Antioch.