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Kyrenia |
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The Castle of Girne (Kyrenia)
The castle of Girne, one of the most impressive and powered castles to have
survived since the middle ages until today, was supposed to be built to protect
the city from pirates in the 7th century. The remnants left from the Roman age
show that the history of Girne castle harks back to older times.
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Bellapais Abbey
The present day name is the corrupt form of the Abbaye de la Paix' or the Abbey
of Peace. The building is regarded as a masterpiece of Gothic art, and the most
beautiful Gothic building in the Near East. The first monks who were known to
have settled here were Augustinians.
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Saint Hilarion Castle
The castle is named after St. Hilarion, a hermit monk who fled from persecution
in the Holy Land and lived and died in a cave on the mountain. Later in the
10th century the Byzantines built a church and monastery here. Along with
Kantara and Buffavento, St. Hilarion Castle was originally built as a watch
tower to give warning of approaching Arab pirates.
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Nicosia
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The Big Inn
The Big Inn situated in the south west of Nicosia, made from hewn stone is two
storied and rectangular in plan. The inn, which was the product of the most
important Turkish era in Cyprus, was built in 1572 by the first Governor of
Cyprus Muzaffer Pasha. The inn, and caravanserai has Anatolian
characteristics,of the Koza in displayed in Bursa- Turkey dated 1489-1491.
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Bedesten
The building was constructed in the 12th century as a Byzantine church (The St.
Nicholas Church). It was later enlarged by some Gothic annexes built by the
Lusignans. After some more changes in the Venetian period, the building was
given to the Greek Orthodox Metropolis.
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Kumarcilar Hani (The gambler's inn)
This small building, asymmetrical in plan, of hewn stone, is on Asmaalti Square
in Nicosia, to the north-east of the Buyuk Khan. This inn, too, is typical of
an Ottoman inner-city commercial inn. Its exact date is uncertain but it is
believed to have been built in the 17th century. It is now privately
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| Famagusta |
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Lala Mustafa Pasa Mosque
The building which was constructed between the years 1298-1312 in the Lusignan
period is one of the most beautiful Gothic structures of the Meditteranean
region. The Lusignan kings would be inaugurated as the King of Cyprus at the
St. Sophia Cathedral in Nicosia first, and following this they would be crowned
as the King of Jerusalem.
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Othello's Tower
This citadel was built in the 12nd century during the Lusignan period, to
protect the harbour.The Sea Gate on, in this side, along with the Land Gate
were the two major entrances of walled Famagusta. The citadel was originally
surrounded with a moat.
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Salamis Ruins
Excavations have shown that the history of Salamis goes back to the 1 1[h
century BC. Archaeologists tend to believe that the first inhabitants of the
town came here from Enkomi after the earthquake of 1075 BC. Traces of a
necropolis and a harbour of this early period have been located.
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| Karpaz |
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Kantara Castle
Kantara, is situated at the Eastern end of the Kyrenia Range (2,068 ft.). It is
26 miles North of Famagusta reached via Iskele and Ardahan villages. The castle
is 2 miles east of the summer resort which is also called Kantara (1,800 ft.).
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Karpaz
Karpaz peninsula (or the panhandle)
is the easternmost part of the island of Cyprus, where the land tapers into a
thin strip which streches out towards Turkey. The Karpaz has been called the
nature reserve of Cyprus for birds, wild flowers, and sea fossils are to be
found everywhere.
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Monastery of Apostolos Andreas
(Karpaz)
The numerous Byzantine churches, the most notably the Monastery of Apostolos
Andreas, area boasts some of the finest countryside in the countryside.
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| Guzelyurt |
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Soli
The origins of Soli are traced back to an Assyrian (700 BC) tribute list where
it is referred to as Si-il-lu. It is also known that in 580 BC, King
Philokypros moved his capital from Aepia to Si-il-lu on the advice of his
mentor Solon, and renamed the town after the Athenian philosopher.
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St. Mamas Monastery
Tradition has it that in the 12th century Mamas, a poor Cypriot hermit, refused
to pay his taxes , and troops were sent to bring him to the capital for
punishment. On the way, the party came across a lion about to kill a lamb.
Mamas saved the lamb and taking it in his arms, rode the wild lion and entered
the capital in this way.
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Palace Of Vouni
This 137 room palace was built on a hilltop by the Phoenician pro-Persian king
of the neighbouring city Marion to watch over the pro-Greek city of Soli,
following an unsuccessful revolt of the latter against the Persians in 498 BC.
It was the headquarters of a garrison and consisted of state apartments, large
storerooms and bathrooms.
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