Kyrenia (Girne)
This fascinating town is situated on the northern coast of Cyprus. Its horseshoe shaped harbour with backdrop of
the
Besparmak
Mountains
make Kyrenia one of the most beautiful areas on
the island. The old carob warehouses which border the harbour have been converted into attractive cafes, restaurants,
bars and private residences with the fishing boats and colourful
yachts making this the ideal place to while away the hours. The harbour
is overlooked by Kyrenia castle, constructed in the 9th century to
ward off Arab invaders. The castle is now home to many historical
artefacts and is the current resting-place of the world's oldest
shipwreck. There are plenty of places of interest in the area for
those days when you want to do more than laze in the sun, including:
Shipwreck Museum, Folklore Museum, Fine Arts Museum, Cafer Pasha
Mosque, Bellapais Abbey and St.Hilarion Castle.
A short drive into the mountains, lies the fairy-tale
castle
of
St.Hilarion. St Hilarion was built during the crusades and a
long walk to its battlements will be rewarded with stunning views of
Kyrenia and the whole of the island's northern coastline.
Bellapais
This historic village is located about 3 miles to the east of
Kyrenia in an elevated position with wonderful views to Kyrenia and
the coast. The village is dominated by Bellapais Abbey which was
originally founded in the twelfth century by monks of the Augustinian
order and is the most impressive Gothic building in
Cyprus
. The abbey is situated on a natural terrace overlooking the
village
of
Ozankoy
with a good selection of restaurants with local and international
cuisine.
The author Lawrence Durrell once owned a house in the Village and
immortalised Bellapais in his book 'The Bitter Lemons of Cyprus'. In his book he
mentions the tree of idleness which can still be found on the corner
of the road in front of the Abbey.
Bellapais is an ideal starting point for hill-walking.
Famagusta
(Gazimagusa)
Founded by Ptolemy Philadelphus of
Egypt
in the 3rd Century BC. Originally a fishing village
Famagusta
was grown
by the influx of refugees first from
Salamis
in 648 then
by the Christian Refugees after the invasion of the Holy Lands.(1291
AD). It soon became one of the most important and wealthy cities in
the region. At one time (early 14th Century) about 350 churches and
many trading posts were built within the area later fortified with
impressive defensive walls by the Venetians.
In 1372 The Genoese invaded the island and the City sacking most of
its wealth. In 1571 under the long siege by the Ottoman Turks many
buildings were damaged by the cannon balls. The British used the
stones to build the
Suez Canal
and the Quays of
Port Said. In 1974 the City was again under siege by Greek Cypriots,
with 11,000 Turkish Cypriots defending the City until it was ended by
the arrival of the Turkish Troops. The important Historical monuments
worth visiting are: The Walls and Bastions, Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque
(St. Nicholas Cathedral)
Othello
Tower
, Remains of
Countless Mediaeval Churches.
Salamis
, Kings
Tombs, St. Barnabas Monastery, The Ruins of Enkomi. The visitor will
enjoy many fine beaches stretching miles along the coast of ancient
Salamis
.
Nicosia
(Lefkosha)
This is the capital of
Northern
Cyprus
and is where the main administration
and business centres are to be found.
Nicosia
has a
population of approximately 35,000.
The foundation of the city dates back around 2250 years and it is
now the capital of the island with a population of around 110,000 and
was developed mainly during the Lusignan period. The city is divided
into Turkish and Greek sectors by a boundary known as the green line
which runs in an east - west direction. The ramparts, which were built
by the Venetians in 1570 to protect the city from the Turks, are thick
and high. They encircle the city and are 4.5km in length with 11
towers. Inside the city walls are numerous remains of the Middle Ages
and later periods.
Outside the walls are no remains whatsoever of the Middle Ages
since materials from building outside of the walls have been used in
the restoration of the ramparts at various times. Inside the city
walls are beautiful examples of Gothic and Ottoman architectural
forms, among which are the Selimiye Mosque (St.Sophia Cathedral),
Bedesten (covered bazaar - St. George Cathedral), a Lapidary Museum
set in an old Venetian house and an obelisk, while belonging to the
Ottoman period are the Arabahmet Mosque, the Buyuk Han (Grand Inn),
the Kumarcilar Han (Gamblers` Inn), the Sultan Mahmut II Library, and
countless other monuments. Like the other towns of
Cyprus
which remained under Ottoman rule for more than 300 years,
Nicosia
too is
typically Turkish in character.
For more information on places to see in
Northern Cyprus
it is worth
visiting the Cyprusive web site:
http://www.cyprusive.com/default.asp?CID=103
http://www.cypnet.co.uk/ncyprus/city/nicosia/nic-places.htm
