Historical Places – What to Visit in North Cyprus?

A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. After all, the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.

The best places in Northern Cyprus. A picturesque island, lost in warm lands, always attracts travelers. Many Europeans want to buy a piece of “their own history” in Northern Cyprus. A small house to be able to come 24/7 and 365 days a year and relax your heart and soul. Historically, the island nation has very close ties with Turkey. So Turkish and English are spoken here. Many people think that Cyprus is one. And no… There are two of them 🙂 Southern and Northern Cyprus. Today we will tell you about the best places in Northern Cyprus. So, we invite you to this amazing journey…

Nicosia

The capital of the island, Nicosia, is at the crossroads of stories. The northern part of the city is the capital of the partially recognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. And the other part of the city belongs to the Greek side and is called Southern Cyprus. The atmosphere of a lively city, among many historical buildings and narrow streets, makes Nicosia one of the must-see places.

Büyük Han

Büyük Han Inn was built in the early 17th century. This is an ancient hotel with 68 rooms in the heart of Nicosia (in Greek: Λευκωσία). In the center of the courtyard there is an octagonal mosque and a fountain for ablution. Outwardly, Büyük Han resembles a fortress. Now there is a famous traditional restaurant and many souvenir shops where you can buy wonderful handicrafts

• Statuettes
• trappings
• soap
• Dishes
• and also delicious Turkish sweets

Inside the hotel, you will feel like a time traveler. If you happen to stumble upon a festival that is held once a year, you are very lucky.

Selimiye Mosque

The Selimiye Mosque is one of the main mosques in the capital of Cyprus. Perhaps the most significant Gothic monument in Nicosia, which was originally a Christian temple. This iconic building of the XIII century is an incredibly popular place among residents and tourists of the city. It was planned to build the temple in just a few years, but its opening was delayed for a century and a half. The official opening took place only in 1326. But in the XVI century, Cyprus was captured by the Turks, after which the cathedral became a mosque, receiving a new name – Selimiye.

Museum of Barbarism

The museum is located in the house of Major of the Turkish Army, Dr. Nihat İlhan. The house still stands as a museum where visitors can see how the family lived. Plunge into that era. There are also many photographs in the house that have survived from those times. The 60-70s were not easy for the Turkish Cypriots. After all, Cyprus was a British colony until 1960. And since 1974 (after the war) it has been divided into two states – unrecognized Northern Cyprus and Southern Cyprus. If you read news or articles on the Internet and come across the phrase “Cyprus”, then this refers to the southern part of the island.

Castle of St. Hilarion

One of the favorite places for tourists. This is right, since the view of the city is very beautiful…
The Castle of St. Hilarion is the ancient residence of the Cypriot kings. I think that the most picturesque of the Kyrenia mountain castles is the city, right in the palm of your hand!

Bellapais Abbey

Initially, the inhabitants of the abbey were Benedictine monks, and then Augustinians moved here from Palestine. They wore white cloaks and hoods, so contemporaries called Bellapais – “White Abbey”. During the long siege of Kyrenia Castle, the Genoese completely plundered the abbey and took out everything they could, leaving only clothes for the monks. So the abbey lost all the relics donated by the kings of Cyprus. Bellapais never recovered from this blow. Today, this wonderful place is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists a year.

Kyrenia Castle

Kyrenia Castle is located in the old harbor of ancient Kyrenia. The castle itself was built back in the VII century by the Byzantines to protect their territories from Arab invaders. It has been rebuilt many times. The lock was constantly changing hands, they probably did. As a result, it was captured by the English king Richard the Lionheart. Next in line was the Lusignan dynasty. After that, in the XIII century, the castle was almost completely rebuilt. The castle has many archaeological finds, icons and works of art.

What else can you visit…

• Ghost town of Varosha
• Ancient City of Salamis
• Famagusta Castle
• Citadel of Castello
• Othello Tower
• Medieval Monastery of Antiphonidis
• Bandabulya Market in Lefkoşa
• Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul (now Sinan Pasha Mosque)
• St. Nicholas Cathedral (now Lal Mustafa Pasha Mosque)
• Surb Magar Armenian Monastery
• Ancient City of Soli
• Buffavento Castle
• Kantara Castle
• Karpas Peninsula and much more…

Summing up

We believe that the island attracts only good people. After all, history indicates that no matter what hands the island was in, it always tried to become free. Free from prejudice and people with heavy hearts. We believe that only people with a big and pure heart will want to share this small piece of land. Come to Cyprus, come to Northern Cyprus. He is waiting for you and your family! The best places in Northern Cyprus are already calling…

What is currently for sale in North Cyprus

Source: Veles Enterprises Article prepared by: Valerii Veles

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