An Open Air Museum

Famagusta, one of the most important historical ports in the Mediterranean has been an eyewitness for the history of Levant with it is past  dating back to 2500 years of time. Today ,the historical port acts as the host of the biggest university in North Cyprus, Eastern Mediterranean University.

The second largest city of North Cyprus having a local population of 40,000 inhabitants with the students, is belived to have been founded in the 5^th century BC. The ancient  Greek name of the city “Ammochostos” means “ the place concealed in the sands” and it defines the general appearance of the city.

Salamis , the most important city of Cyprus  and entire Eastern Mediterranean  was  set ablaze and destroyed by Arab raiders in mid 7^th century AD, the fleeing inhabitants migrated to Famagusta and expanded the city. The second human  flood took place in late 13^th century; an influx of  Christian refugees fleeing after the downfall of Acre in Plestine during the Crusades , transformed this tiny settlement into one of the richest cities in Christendom Genoesen had seized the city in 1372 and they have been followed by the Venetians in 1489 and it fell to the  Ottomun in 1571 after a siege of one year.

The once so called “city of 365 churches” ravaged by severe wars and earthquakes is now only partially inhabited, but it still contains beautiful examples of medieval and gothic architecture.

Salamis ruins, Necropolis (Kings Tombs), Engomi are archeological sites worth visiting and they are accepted unique because of their distinctive structures.

Land gate (Akkule,Revalin), martinengo(Tophane) bastion, Othello Tower, Sea gate (Porta del Mare),Djanboulat (Arsenal) bastion and museum are very well preserved visiting points of the Venetian city walls.

Charges and other important buildings related with Christian  cultural heritage: Tomb and monastery of St.Barnabas(icon museum), Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque , (St.Peter and St.Poul Church), Nastorian Church (Ayios Georghios Xorinos Church) Ayia Zoni Byzantine Church, St. George of Latins Church, Mustapha Pasha Mosque(Stavros  Chorch), St. George of Greeks  Church, Ayios Yuannis  Church,  (Marash    -Varosha – Icon Museum)

Related posts:

Tags: cities in north cyprus, cyprus cities, FAMAGUSTA, FAMAGUSTA in northern cyprus

This entry was posted on Monday, December 21st, 2009 at 8:16 pm and is filed under Cities. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.