Kantara Castle, which is the easternmost of the three castles on the Kyrenia Mountains, was established at an altitude of approximately 700 meters. It is a strategic castle due to its location that can control the northern coast, the Mesarya plain and the entrance to the Karpaz peninsula. St. Although it is estimated that it was built by the Byzantines after the Arab raids, such as Hilarion and Buffavento castles, it is first mentioned in written sources in 1191, when Richard the Lionheart captured Cyprus. The name of the castle is heard most during the Lusignan and Venetian periods. It was the scene of many wars during these periods. Although the Genoese occupied Nicosia and Famagusta in 1373, the castle remained in the hands of the supporters of King Peter I. It is known that Prince John, brother of King Peter I of Cyprus, escaped from captivity in the hands of the Genoese and took refuge in the castle. The castle was surrounded by walls in 1391 by King James. After the Venetians captured the island, this castle, like other castles far from the sea, was demilitarized and lost its former importance. The castle has sections such as a defense area, soldiers' rooms, a water cistern, vaulted rooms and a signal to

In the Minia Cyprus open-air museum, there are miniatures of historical artifacts belonging to the civilizations that came and went from the island of Cyp

Arabahmet Mosque is a Classical Ottoman work located in the Arabahmet District of Nicosia. The mosque was built in the name of Arabahmet Pasha, who participated in the conquest of Cyprus, was the Governor of Cyprus and was among the first founders of the foundation. The mosque was built in the 16th century. The end of the century and the 17th century. It is recorded that it was built on the site of a medieval cathedral and/or on the site of a cathedral at the beginning of the century, and that it was repaired in 1845. When it was first built, its floor was paved with 25 tombstones from the Middle Ages, and these were covered with a wooden floor. During the repair of the mosque between 1992 and 1996, the tombstones at the base were removed and transferred to the Nicosia Stone Works Museum. It is the only mosque in Nicosia built according to the traditional plan scheme of Anatolian mosques. It is estimated that it was built with the idea that such a magnificent mosque would be built in a neighborhood where wealthy people, high-ranking public officials and even pashas resided during the Ottoman Period. The mosque, made of cut stone, has a narthex with a transverse rectangular plan. The narthex has three arched openings on the facade and one on each side. The mihrab is made of marble, resembles a muqarnas weave motif, and is surrounded by three moldings. The entire pulpit to the west of the mihrab is made of marble. The minaret is adjacent to the northwestern wall of the mosque and its door opens to the mosque harbour. It has a stone base, polygonal body, stalactite decoration, a single balcony and a metallic cone. There is a fountain and a small cemetery in the courtyard of the mosque. There are taps in the niches formed by the baroque arches in the octagonal planned water reservoir. This structure repeats the traditional composition of Classical Period Ottoman fountains and was built in 1902. The north and northwest courtyards of the mosque were used as a hazire (cemetery) where famous people were buried. Only six of the tombs in Hazire have preserved their original features. The single-type tombs in the northwest and northeast of the mosque were built here during the renovation works of the mosque between 1992 and 1996, and the headstones and tombstones, which are based on the courtyard wall of the mosque, were mounted at the head and foot ends. Among the important people buried in the cemetery are Kıbrıslı Mehmet Kamil Pasha, who served as grand vizier in the Ottoman Empire 4 times, and Antepli İshak Pasha, the Rumelian gover

  The Vouni Palace was constructed in the 5th century by the Persian sympathizer Doxandros, the king of the city of Marion, to keep the settlements supporting the Greeks (Soli) under control. There are 137 rooms in the palace. These include the administrative sections, bedrooms, storerooms, offices and bath rooms. When the Persian rule in the region was replaced by the Greek rule in 449 B.C. the palace lost its function. The palace stood erect for seventy years, but was destroyed by the people of Soli in 380 B.C., and was never reconstructed. Cisterns carved out of the rocks were used to meet the demand for water. In some of the storerooms, holes for amphoras can be noticed. The baths are old examples of hot-baths. Excavations have brought to light eathenware jugs blackened by the fire that destroyed the palace containing what has been described as 'the Vouni treasure'. The treasure includes gold and silver bracelets, ornamented silver cups, and hundreds of coins with the Marion, Kition, Lapithos and Paphos seals. The archaelogists have come across signs of s ettlements belonging to the pre-neolithic age on the island of Petra tou Limniti visible from Vouni. To the south of the palace are the remains of the Temple of Athena built towards the end of the 5th century B.C. The temple has two courtyards and an enclosed sacred ground. The holes in which the statues were placed is visible. The different sections of the Vouni remains are: the entrance, the residential rooms, the courtyard with columns, the kitchen courtyard, the cistern, granaries, baths, living rooms and offi

This is a royal palace built by the Venetians on the ruins of a palace built by the Lusignans in the 13th century. The front which has survived was built in the 16th century and the columns used here were brought from the Salamis ruins. On the arch in the middle there is an insignia belonging to the Venetian ruler Giovanni Rei

St. Hilarion Castle Located west of the main Kyrenia-Nicosia highway, in the Kyrenia Mountain range, St Hilarion castle is the westernmost and best preserved of the three redoubts built by the Byzantines and Crusaders. The legend of St Hilarion Although there is not adequately evidence, the castle is said to be called after the saint of the name. St Hilarion, a little-known hermit and monk fled persecution from Palestine during the 7 th century to dwell and die up in the castle. According to legend he was extremely deaf and resilient to the shrieks of pagan demons that had been lurking and wandering about in the mountain peak. Disgusted at their inability to make him go, they left mountain in peace. During the 10 th century a Byzantine chapel, monastery and later a fort grew around his tomb. It is known that the Byzantine fort was called Didymos , the Greek name for the twin peaks overhead. The Lusignans corrupted this to Dieu d'Amour , maybe confusing a mixture of legends and believing that this was the castle of Aphrodite . With walls and towers that appear to sprout out of the rocks almost randomly, it is a fairly-tale sight living u p to Rose Macaulay's much-quoted description ”a picture-book castle for elf-kings” and the rumour that Walt Disney used it as a model for the castle in Snow White and Seven Dwarfs. The legend that was spread locally says that St Hilarion housed 101 rooms, of which 100 could easily be found; the last, an enchanted garden with a magnificent treasure belonging to an elusive “queen” of Cypriot folklore, most probably a holdover of Aphrodite worship. How to get there If you are going from Kyrenia, take the main road out of town, directed south for Nicosia (Lefkosia). The dual carriageway leading off the roundabout climbs the Kyrenia mountain range, passing the silhouette of Atatürk high on the right. At the top of this climb, about 50 yards (45 m) before the mountain pass turn right at the sign saying St Hilarion Castle. After turning right follow the route as directed by the army signs. This is a controlled road and stopping and taking photographs are signed as forbidden. The road is narrow and twisty that is why careful driving is essential. On the right you will pass the Turkish military camp and the route continues to wind up. You can view Kyrenia harbour to the right and the route reaches its highest point with the vista towards the twin peaks of Didymos ahead. The road continues to the base of the castle walls where a car park is located with a small snack bar. Practical info During summer, come early or later in the day if you can, as climbing to the top of 730 m is tiring and can be quite a difficult work on a hot day. Make sure you wear stout shoes because the ground is often uneven. For climbing St Hilarion a walking stick, camera, binoculars and a bottle of water are recommended accessories. Be aware of many long drops everywhere, especially when taking children. After scaling the castle you can have refreshment at the café by the car p

The St. Barnabas church has a rich collection of icons mostly dating from the 18th century. The basalt mill in the courtyard is from the Enkomi settlement and the other columns and stones are from Salamis. The rooms where the priests lived have been restored and turned into an archaelogical museum. It is possible to see a variety of works of art from a wide range of historical spectrum from the Neolithic Period to the Roman period. Bronze and marble pieces are also being exhibited at the mus

The cathedral is noted as being the largest and the finest temple, and the most important Gothic structure in Cyprus. It is said to have been constructed over a Byzantine church called Hagia Sophia on the same site. The construction was started by the Latin Archbishop Eustorge de Montaigu in 1208. It was consecrated in 1326 and opened to religious service. As it was the most important church of Cyprus the coronation ceremonies of the Lusignan kings were held here. The cathedral was restored by the Genoese in 1373, and by the Mamluks in 1426; it was damaged in several earthquakes. The eastern section of the cathedral was destroyed in eathquakes in 1491 and as it was being restored by the Venetians, the grave of an old Lusignan king (Hugh II) was uncovered. The corpse was well preserved with a crown on its head, and items made of gold and documents on it. The cathedral was constructed by French architects and craftsmen and it is a beautiful eaxample of medieval French architecture.  The cathedral has a monumental entrance. The carved windows above the entrance are examples of unequalled Gothic art. The Ottomans have built minarets over the two unfinished belfries on either side of the entrance. The inside of the cathedral comprises three aisles, six side sections and little chapels. The chapel to the north was dedicated to St. Nicholas, the ones to the south to virgin Mary and St. Thomas Aquinas. The part of the mosque reserved for women used to be the treasury. Many Lusignan nobilities and kings are buried inside the cathedral.  The marble grave stones of these graves still constitute part of the floor tiles. The inscriptions and drawings on these have been well preserved since they are covered with rush mats, and people are not allowed in with their shoes

It is very centrally placed in nicosia. It was converted into a mosque from a Latin church. As it was in a bad state in the 1890's, it was restored by Ali Pasha in 1902. The mosque is seen to be under Arab influence; it has a noteworthy wooden ceiling. In 1962, when its foutain was being knocked down, a marble sarcophagus with inscriptions in Greek was uncovered. The style of writing and the huge cross on it indicate that it dates back to the Byzantine period. It is used as a wedding-hall at pres

  Built between 1298 and 1312 during the Lusignan period, it is one of the most beautiful Gothic buildings in the entire Mediterranean world. The Lusignan kings first lived in Nicosia in St. The King of Cyprus in the St. Sophia Cathedral, and then the St. Sophia Cathedral in Famagusta. They were crowned King of Jerusalem in St. Nicholas Cathedral. These ceremonies were held until it was converted into a mosque in 1571. The architecture of the cathedral's western façade, which is the most beautiful and best preserved, was influenced by the Reims Cathedral in France. The 16th century Venetian gallery of the cathedral, which has a unique Gothic style embroidered window, is located in the courtyard and is used as a fountain today. A Venetian coat of arms can be seen above the round windows at the entrance. It is thought that the relief decorated with some animal figures comes from a temple in Salamis. The apse of the cathedral, like most Cypriot churches, is in the Eastern style and has three compartments. The historical sycamore tree or tropical fig (Ficus Soycomorus or Minimal Deciduos) located at the entrance of the cathedral is the oldest living creature on the island of Cyprus, with a history of approximately 700 years. It is said that the tree was planted in 1298, when the construction of the cathedral began. Its trunk divides into 7 branches after 2.70 meters. The tree, which bears fruit seven times a year, casts a fascinating shade in front of the cathedral. The tree, whose roots reach East Africa, has been important in the region since the time of the ancient Egyptians due to its beautiful fruit, its ability to create a semi-covered shade for hot places, and its valuable timber for furniture making. This may be due to the fact that the fruits of the tree are called Pharaoh fruits among the pub