INTRODUCTORY
SURVEY
Cyprus is the third largest
island in the Mediterranean after Sicily and Sardinia. It lies between
latitudes 30.33 and 35.41 and longitudes 32.23 and 34.55 . The Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) covers an area of 3,355 square kilometres.
The neighbours of Northern Cyprus
are Turkey, 65 km to the north, Syria, 100 km to the east and Egypt, 420
km to the south.
The official language of the
country is Turkish. English is also widely spoken.
The TRNC flag
(proportions 150 by 100cm) is white, with a red crescent and star in the
center, lined by two red horizontal stripes, on top and at the bottom.
LEFKOSE
(NICOSIA)
The name of the capital
city of Northern Cyprus dates back approximately 2,250 years to the
original settlement of Ledra,
which was later renamed Lefkotheon, but was also sometimes
referred to as Ledron. During
the Byzantine period the name changed again to Lefkon, meaning poplar grove.
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There were a great many
poplar trees lining the banks of the Pedeios river, so the name was quite
apt. Since the seventh century A.D. it has been the capital of Cyprus (except
for a brief period during the Venetian period) because the Arab raids made
so many coastal settlements unsafe. Nicosia was just far enough inland
to escape the worst. The present day capital of the island, it has a population
of around 150,000 and it is divided into Turkish and Greek sectors by a
boundary known as the `green line' which runs in an east-west direction.
Huge, thick ramparts, built by the Venetians in 1570, encircle the city;
the walls are three and a half miles long and have eleven towers and three
gates. |
Within these walls are numeruous
remains from the middle ages and later periods. Outside, there is no trace
of the medieaval settlement that once existed as as materials from those
buildings were used at various points in time to restore and maintain the
walls. In the old city of Nicosia, beautiful examples of Gothic and Ottoman
architecture abound -the Selimiye Mosque, the Bedestan, the Arab Ahmet
Mosque, and the Great Han / Inn, to name but a few. City Map of Nicosia
(north) will give you detailed information on planning your tour around
the city.
GIRNE
Situated on the north coast
of Cyprus, Kyrenia, with its 6,000 year long history, unique remains of
countless civilisations, miles of natural beaches, calm sea, and mild climate
is the perfect holiday resort.
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Bounded to the north by
the sea and to the south by the Besparmak Mountain range, it offers the
benefits of both sea and mountain air, and is thus an ideal resort for
health and relaxation- indeed, many foreigners have retired here. The beautiful
harbour is dominated by a majestic castle which houses a museum containing
the remains of an ancient ship which was salvaged from the sea. There are
several mosques and churches to see in the town, and the Museum of Folk
Arts, and of Decorative Arts and Painting are well worth a visit. |
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