“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.
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, […]
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 […]
Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque (Cathedral of St. Nicholas) The most impressive edifice in Famagusta, if not the whole of Cyprus, is the beautiful gothic Catholic Cathedral built during the Lusignan period and dedicated to St. Nicholas. Constructed in the 14th […]
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 […]
The Land Gate and Ravelin | Famagusta The land gate is probably as old a building within the city as the citadel, though the current bridge and gateway entrance are relatively modern. The road now passes through one of 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 […]
Church of St. George of the Greeks | Famagusta Built beside the small Byzantine church of St Symeon, the church of St. George was the Orthodox Cathedral. An elegant mix of Gothic and Byzantine styles it was intended to rival […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]