Nicosia, alternatively known as Lefkosa
is the capital city of North Cyprus. Kyrenia, also known as
Girne is the probably the most well known of the towns in North
Cyprus is located on the Northern Shores of the island. Famagusta
is located to the east of the island and hosts the islands working
Port. Both Lefke and Morphou are agriculture cities, where most
of the Citrus fruits and vegetables are grown for local consumption
and export.
Places of interest to visit: North Cyprus
has an abundance of historical and interesting places to visit.
Nicosia / Lefkosa
Sarayönü Square: Once upon a time, Saratönü (Atatürk Square) was
a political centre in Cyprus for centuries. There is a Venetian
Column in the centre of the square crowned by the lion of St.
Mark. The British re-erected it during World War 1 while they
were fighting the Ottoman Empire.
Selimiye Mosque (St. Sophia
Cathedral): This mosque was a
cathedral that is an ancient church built by St. Sophia in the
period 1209 A.D to 1228. This church was damaged in the earthquakes
in 1491, 1547 and 1735, but it still remains standing today,
although it is now used as a mosque and all Bayram Festivals
and prayers to Islam are celebrated within this mosque.
Arabahmet District: The Arabahmaet Quarter is one of the parts of the original city
walls of North Cyprus which is still preserved today and its
charming beauty and history is left for all to see.
Arabahmet Mosque: This mosque is really worthy of a visit because of the excellent
architecture.
Dervish Pasha Mansion: The Mansion of Ahmet Dervish Pasha is a traditional mansion,
located in the street of Belig Pasha Street. The mansion houses
the island’s richest collection of Ottoman artefacts.
The Dervish Pasha Mansion is one of the treasures of the island
and is an ethnographical museum. Ahmet Dervish Pasha, whose
name the mansion is named after, was a leading figure of the
Cypriot community. The mansion displays Ottoman domestic architecture
with its whitewashed walls, plain yellow stone arches, terracotta-tiled
roof and blue-stained woodwork. The mansion takes the shape
of an L.
Haydar Pasha Mosque: Haydar Pasha Mosque was built as St. Catherine’s Church
in, but later it was converted to a Mosque in the Ottoman period.
Kyrenia Gate: Kyrenia Gate is one of the three entrances to the city built
by the Venetians. Kyrenia Gate has had some changes made to
it over the centuries.
Mevlevi Tekke (Museum of
Whirling Dervishes): This museum
is close to the Kyrenia Gate and is located in the main street
towards Atatürk Square. Muslim ceremonial dances were performed
in this building. This regular function was continued for over
a hundred years, but the place on which the dancing was originally
performed has now been preserved.
Betestan: The Betestan is a Greek church built in the Byzantine period
and it has a mediaeval styles. It was constructed in the 12th
century. The Betestan has also undergone changes and it still
shows signs of the effects of earthquakes centuries ago. The
Betstan was used as a depot and market where textile products
were sold.
Sultan Ahmet II Library: Sultan Ahmet II Library was built by Sultan Ahmet II in the
early years of 19th century and its architecture reflects Islam.
Lapidary Museum: Lapidary Museum was built a few yards from the Selimiye Mosque
and the most important thing about this building is that it
was constructed using demolition stones of other ancient buildings.
Great Inn (Büyük
Han): The Great Inn is a 16th
century building and it is located in Asmaalti Street. The British
used this inn as a Nicosia Central Prison in their old colonial
days.
Glambers’ Inn: Glambers’ Inn is located only a few hundreds metres north
of the Great Inn and it dates back to about 1570AD. It now houses
shops and coffee bars.
Famagusta
• The walls of the old cities still remain standing
• Othello Tower and Citadel
• Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque
• Namik Kemal Dungeon and Museum
• Enkomi Ruins
• Venetian Palace
• Canbulat Shrine
• The Akkule Mosque
• St. Barnabas Monastery and Museum
Salamis Roman Ruins,
date back to 100BC, these ruins represent Northern Cyprus most
impressive historical site. The best preserved remains are the
gymnasium, baths, and the spectacular amphitheatre, which is
one of the largest in the whole of the Mediterranean.
Kyrenia / Girne
Kyrenia Castle and the Shipwrecked
Museum founded by the Byzantines
in the 10th Century, this huge castle with its thick walls and
massive bastions, dominates the harbour of Kyrenia. It also
houses a museum with the remains of one of the world’s
oldest shipwrecks.
Kyrenia Harbour,
with its beautiful wall protecting the whole of the harbour.
St. Hilarion Castle is a spectacular fairytale castle and has been well preserved,
it is a wild dramatic maze of fortifications, it was built around
1100AD and was conquered by Richard the Lionheart in 1191AD.
Besides its enchanting historical background, the wonderful
views from St Hilarion Castle are second to none and should
not be missed.
Bellapais Abbey,
here you can sit under Durrell’s Tree of Idleness and
watch the world go by. The Abbey was founded by the Augustine
Monks around 1250AD and represents some of the finest Medieval
Gothic Architecture in the Eastern Mediterranean. The sleepy
village of Bellapais was home to Lawrence Durrell and has been
immortalized in his classic novel ‘Bitter
Kantara Castle – Kantara stands at the gateway of the Karpaz Peninsula.
Although only 1900ft above sea level in the mountains, it affords
marvellous views of both the Northern and Southern coastlines.
Mosiac Pilgrims Sandals – It is said if you put your feet on the Pilgrims sandals
you will return to North Cyprus in your lifetime
Buffavento Castle – Buffavento is the highest of the three crusader castles
found in North Cyprus. It is situated 2500ft above sea level
in the mountains, a system of flares linked the castle by night
to St Hilarion and Kantara.
• Folk Art Museum
• Kyrenia Archangelos Icon Museum
• Cafer Pasher Mosque
• Omer Dervish Lodge
• Lambousa Kings Tombs
• Peace and Freedom Museum
Morphou
• Güzelyurt Museum
• St. Mamas Monastery
Lefke
• Soli Roman Theatre
• Vauni Palace: It was built by the Persian Kings, Doxandros
• Blue House (Mavi Kösk)
Karpaz is located to the far east of the Island and is more commonly
known as the pan handle. Some of the most beautiful beaches
are located on this stretch of coast and it is most definitely
worthy of a visit even though it can take up to 2 hours to drive
there from Kyrenia.
North
Cyprus is proud of the crystal clear beaches that you can
not find anywhere else in the Mediterranean, its varied coastline
means that there is a beach for every level of swimmer. There
are luxurious beaches which are visable and some which are
invisible hidden behind dunes. On the east coast between Famagusta
and Bogaz there is a beach which stretches for about 15 miles
known as Golden Beach. By contrast on the North coast on either
side of Kyrenia there are sandy beaches with bars and sports
facilities to suit all tastes and budgets. Further more isolated
creeks decorate the landscape for almost 20 miles. It is possible
for water lovers to enjoy swimming for about 8 months of the
year and also enjoy diving, snorkelling, windsurfing and waterskiing.
Some of the other
beaches worthy of a visit are:
Escape at Alsancak
Mare Monte at Alsancak
Acapulco at Catalkoy
Deniz Kizi at Alsancak
