In Lonely Planet 2022's list of "Top 10 Best Cities to Travel", Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, is a very special presence. The official recommendation reads: "While borders in the rest of the world are closing, cross-community cultural projects have emerged here, which makes exploring the world's only remaining divided capital full of unprecedented appeal and significance." "Let's walk into this small Mediterranean city with a deep history and culture to find out."
"The Last Divided Capital"
Located in the eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus is a mix of Asian and Middle Eastern identities in its history, culture and cuisine, with a strong Greek and Turkish atmosphere that hides the complex and fragmented identity of Cypriots. Some of the City-States of Cyprus during the Hellenistic era held a prominent position, while Cyprus under The Byzantine Era enjoyed a considerable degree of stability and prosperity brought about by religious autonomy. But no matter who ruled, Nicosia has always been the capital of the country, mainly because its position in the center of the plain can withstand a little foreign invaders.
Since 1963, when disputes between greeks and Turks in Cyprus have been raging, British officers have drawn a so-called "green line" on military maps with green pens, dividing the city into north and south parts. In 1974, the Turkish invasion completely split the city in half, and since then life on both sides of the Cypriot capital has operated under the supervision of the United Nations. Southern Nicosia belongs to Cyprus, with a Greek majority of the population, while northern Nicosia is de facto controlled by Turkey and has a strong Turkish atmosphere. The two sides live largely different lives, but are inextricably linked to each other.
Southern Nicosia
Cyprus Museum
Cyprus Museum
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Located opposite the city gardens, this superb museum houses the finest archaeological finds unearthed in Cyprus. One of the highlights here is the 1929 red clay figurines found in northern Cyprus, the 2,000 figures date back to the 7th to 6th centuries BC, and they are arranged in the exhibition hall in a semicircular circle at the time of their discovery. Another highlight is the excavation of three limestone lions and two sphinxes at the Tamasus cemetery in southern Nicosia.
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The famous "Aphrodite from Soli" statue is located in Hall 5, and on the travel poster she is called "Cyprus Goddess" and is well worth seeing. The giant bronze statue of Emperor Septimus Severus, discovered in 1928, is the largest exhibit in Hall 6. There are several lovely mosaics, such as Leda & the Swan, which are placed in Hall 7B along with various gold objects from excavated tombs.
⏰ Tuesday to Friday 8:00-18:00, Saturday 9:00-17:00, Sunday 10:00-13:00
About 32.5 yuan
Byzantine Museum of Art
Byzantine Art Museum
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The impressive Museum of Byzantine Art, part of the Makarios Cultural Foundation, houses the largest collection of Cypriot-related icons on the island, ranging from 220 to the 5th to 19th centuries AD. Don't miss the 6 exquisite Kanakaria mosaics, which were stolen from the Kanakaria Church in northern Cyprus after the Turkish invasion in 1974 and returned to Cyprus in 1991 after a lengthy legal proceeding.
⏰ Monday to Friday 9:00-16:30, Saturday to 13:00
About 12 yuan
Venetian walls
Venetian Walls
The Venetian walls that surround the old town of Nicosia are so unique that if you've seen it on a map, you won't forget its snowflake-like shape. The circular city walls were built in 1567 when the rulers of Venice wanted to defend against the invasion of the Ottoman Turks. Unfortunately, the walls did not achieve their purpose. In 1570 the Ottoman Turks raided Nicosia, killing more than 50,000 inhabitants. Since then, the walls have stood silently and in vain.
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The Venetian Wall in southern Nicosia and the surrounding moat are well preserved, with several more being opened to traffic, and some parts of the wall are used as parking lots and outdoor concert venues, where people also walk and entertain. In contrast, the walls of northern Nicosia are poorly preserved, with barren grass and partially collapsed.
Nicosia City Art Center
Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre
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The architecture of this contemporary art museum was formerly a power station, and it is the equivalent of the Tate Modern to London in Nicosia. The industrialist decorations left behind are commensurate with the exhibits, with low ceilings and early power generation facilities coexisting in harmony with avant-garde art. Permanent exhibits here include paintings, photographs, videos, sculptures and other works from the Dimitris Pierides Museum of Contemporary Art in Greece. The exhibition changes monthly, and the themes are usually political and cultural. The Art Center also features fine restaurants, gift shops and a comprehensive art library open to visitors.
⏰ Tuesday to Saturday 10:00-21:00
gratis
Northern Nicosia
Grand Caravan Hostel
Big Inn
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The Grand Caravan Inn, made up of several Ottoman Turkish buildings, is a rare living example of a medieval caravan hotel. In Ottoman Turkish times, travelers and merchants would stay in such hotels (hans) and store horses and goods in the shop. At the same time, such hotels are also an important place for people to socialize.
©be_f_red_francetocyprus/Instagram
Today, it's an interesting historical museum with cafes, shops and traditional craft workshops – the rooms in which they were once located were the bedrooms of the hotel. Inside the central courtyard is a small mosque, located above the purification pool, supported and balanced by 6 pillars, a design found only in the hotel and in two places in Turkey.
⏰ Monday to Saturday 10:00-22:00
Selimiye Mosque
Selimiye Mosque
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The Selimiye Mosque is the most striking landmark in northern Nicosia and can be clearly seen from the south of the city. The building looks a bit strange, as if it were a mixture of French Gothic churches and mosques, which is related to its long history. The church was built in 1209, with the help of Louis IX of France's men, and still took 78 years to build, when it was called the Church of Agia Sofia. The Ottoman Turks arrived in 1571 and demolished part of the church and added two minarets.
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Today, the church is a place where worshippers pray, but it is open to travelers. Although already covered in Islamic styles, the Gothic style of the interior of the church is still very obvious. Look out for the highly decorative West Gate, which has three porticoes full of patterns, each of which is different in style. Then look for the four marble columns from ancient Salamis, which were placed in the apse next to the main passage.
Bedstein
Bedesten
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The magnificent Bedstein was restored as a result of the "Nicosia Master Plan" project and received the Europa Nostra Award for cultural heritage. It was built in the 6th century as a small Byzantine church, and was transformed into a Catholic church in the 14th century after a large addition. When the Ottoman Turks arrived in 1571, the church was used as a grain warehouse and a large market to let the wind and rain blow.
©kim.cheblak/Instagram
Today, Bedstein is used only as a cultural centre, and mevrami spinning dervishes are regularly held nearby. The north portico is home to some beautiful weapons that once belonged to the Venetian nobility and is worth a look. These families were deeply Orthodox and were allowed to continue their religion despite the fact that Catholicism later became the dominant religion in Cyprus.
⏰ Monday, Tuesday, Thursday to Saturday 10:00-13:00, Wednesday 14:00-17:00
Municipal bazaar
Municipal Market
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This market is a great place to buy local products and learn about the local specialties, and the market is always bustling. Vendors either bark and peddle goods or lie down in the middle of fruits and vegetables to sleep. There is also an area dedicated to selling souvenirs from travel, where shopping is a must for bargaining.
⏰ Monday to Saturday 6:00-15:00
⭐Make It Happen
Although the city is still effectively divided, it is easy for travelers to cross the Green Line, and there is no time limit, so you can spend the night in northern Nicosia. There are two border posts in the city of Nicosia, the Ledra St Border Station and the Ledra Palace Hotel Border Station, which are usually only briefly checked when you return from the north. Don't forget to bring your passport or you'll be blocked at the border.
Preliminary | Aiting, Ruru
Review | small arrears
Final trial | horses go to the field
The image | the idea of the figure worm, partly from the network