Historical Sites

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There are so many historical places of interest to visit in North Cyprus. This was bound to be so since the island is located in the centre of the ancient world which is known as the cradle of western civilization. The ancient towns of Famagusta, Kyrenia, Karpaz, Lefke, Guzelyurt, Nicosia or Yeni Iskele have many historical places which are worth seeing.
If you want to go deeper into the history of Cyprus, visit one of many Cypriot museums in Nicosia (The Stone Works Museum Laphitos, The Mevlevi Tekke Museum), Kyrenia (The Kyrenia Museum Of Folk Art, The Museum Of Public Arts, Shipwreck Museum), Famagusta (The Canbulat Tomb & Museum, The Dungeon And Museum Of Namik Kemal, The St. Barnabas Icon & Archeology Museum), Guzelyurt (The Guzelyurt Museum (The Archeology And Nature Museum) or Yeni Iskele (Icon Museum Of Iskele). If you prefer a fine art, we recommend you to visit the North Cyprus galleries.

Famagusta

At the zenith of its wealth and status, the walls around the town of Famagusta, North Cyprus undoubtedly had ample to defend. The city of Famagusta was first fortified by the Lusignans Kings, followed by the Venetians who further secured the town by amplifying the walls heigth/width and by constructing a moat around the circumference of the fortress. They also re-modified the towers/bastions in order to house the powerful canons designed and built by the best Italian craftsmen. Even today examples of this historic warfare can be seen doted around the old city.

The product of these powerful civilisations remain today, for us to admire and respect; city walls up to nine metres thick and with a hight of fifteen metres, still gracefully protect the fascinating and extraordinary buildings that lie within.

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Salamis

Just north of Famagusta lies the remains of the city of Salamis originally founded by a hero from the Trojan War, Teucer in 1100 BC. The city swiftly flourished, and became the most important metropolis in Cyprus. One of the best historical sights of Northern Cyprus, Salamis is a melting pot of ancient architecture that enables us to see how the past civilizations lived their day to day life and how in the modern age we still use the designs and practices that they pioneered.

Situated on the beautiful golden sands of the Mediterranean, it is a truly amazing site to visit. Whoever sets foot on the soil of salamis will be enchanted by the overwhelming splendour and atmosphere that surrounds them. From ancient Greek architecture, to beautiful Roman Baths and theatres Salamis is perfect for all the family to enjoy.

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St. Barnabas

The beautiful monastery of St Barnabas is only a stone’s throw away from the city of Famagusta. Its relaxing and spiritual aura will stay with you long after your return home. Set amongst a mini forest of Cyprus Pine, the monastery is the home to the “Archaeological and Icon” museum. With its beautiful gardens in the central courtyard, it is the perfect place to relax and soak up the warm sunshine.

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Apostolos Andreas

Monastery situated just south of Cape Apostolos Andreas, the north-easternmost point of the island of Cyprus, in Rizokarpaso in the Karpass Peninsula. The monastery is dedicated to Saint Andrew and is an important site for the Cypriot Orthodox Church. It was once known as ‘the Lourdes of Cyprus’, served not by an organized community of monks but by a changing group of volunteer priests and laymen. Both Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities consider the monastery a holy place. As such it is visited by many people for votive prayers. The contents of the monastery are also noteworthy.

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Castles

The Saint Hilarion Castle sprawls across a mountain peak with spectacular views of the Kyrenia coast line. Built in the 10^th century by the Byzantines, the castle formed part of the early warning system against Arab invaders. It is a wonderful collage of tunnels, courtyards, passages and chambers embedded into the mountain peak. At more than 700 metres, it is best to visit the castle on a non cloudy day to truly admire its mighty presence on the slopes of the Five Finger Mountain range. It is said that St Hilarion Castle inspired Walt Disney’s design of the castle setting for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The home of Richard the Lion Heart, St Hilarion castle has many legends and fairy tales to unveil.

Buffavento Castle – some six miles east as the crow flies. Built on the site of Byzantine watchtower remodelled by the Lusignants, this castle perches 950m above sea level. And furthest east is Kantara Castle, 45 miles from Kyrenia at the tip of the range as it tapers into the Karpaz peninsula.