Traveller's101

Places to see In Kyrenia

Kyrenia, as it’s known to the Greeks, or Girne to the Turkish, is one of the northern most coastal cities in Cyprus. This harbour town, while small, has some naturally beautiful scenery that visitors will not want to miss.

The city itself was founded by the ancient Achaeans, colonists from Greece. As with many other cities on the island, the city was fortified first by the Byzantines, then the Franks, and finally the Venetians.

In 1974, the Turkish intervened and moved the island’s administrative centre from Kyrenia to Nicosia.

During the height of Kyrenia’s popularity, it was a city filled with warehouses that were filled with fruits and vegetables grown throughout the island waiting to be exported to other nations around the Mediterranean.

Today, all of these warehouses have been renovated and offer visitors a variety of restaurants filled with international cuisine. Anyone dining at one of these establishments can sit outside along the waterfront and enjoy the wonderful weather the island has to offer.

Here are some more places in Kyrenia that may be appealing to visitors who want to do more than just enjoy the cuisine along the waterfront.

ship wreck kyrenia museum

Photo by: www.cyprus44.com

Ethnographic Museum

Formerly known as the Folk Art Museum, the Ethnographic Museum represents the Cypriot folk art from the 19th and 20th centuries. Items on display include hand made jewellery, wood carving, tapestries, pottery, embroidery, woven goods and national, ethnic costumes. It is housed in the 15th century Gothic Old Bishopric building that was once a Benedictine Monastery, before becoming the Archbishop’s palace.

St. John’s Cathedral

St. John’s Cathedral – or Agios Ioannis – was built in what is known as the Old City in 1552 by Archbishop Nikiforos. This Orthodox Cathedral in Nicosia that has been dedicated to Saint John the Theologian contains beautiful 18th century wall paintings of Biblical scenes as well as the discovery of the tomb of Saint Barnabas at Salamis. The iconostasis of carved, gold leafed wood and double-headed eagles is the Cathedral’s pride and joy, and is photographed by millions of tourists each year.

st. John's Cathedral

Photo by: www.planetware.com

The Old City Walls

Nicosia is a very old city and as such has walls that completely surround the Old City that date back to the 16th century occupation of the city. The walls have a circumference of three miles with eleven heart-shaped bastions dispersed evenly along the walls. There are three gates in the wall – in the north, south, and east. The Famagusta gate which has been restored, serves as the Lefkosia Municipal Cultural Centre. Visitors can enjoy exhibitions, conferences, lectures and performance’s while visiting the gate and they also can explore the moat that once circled the city, but is now a large garden.

Nicosia old city walls
photo by: www.travelpod.com

Sarayonu-Ataturk Square

Once upon a time this square housed a palace that was used by the Ottomans, Franks, and Venetian’s. Even though the palace was destroyed in 1904, the square and the fountain remain. There is a granite column in the centre of the square that is said to have been carved from stone taken from the Temple of Jupiter in Salarnis. The old mosque was also once located on the square and it was demolished around the same time as the palace. A shaded park is now located there.

Degirmenlik

This small village located in the province of Nicosia is on the road to Famagusta. There is a small cluster of roadside cafes just outside this town, the largest of six in the area. The buildings in these towns are made of mud-brick, and they gather around a beautiful free flowing stream that comes off the mountains. These towns are on the Mesaoria Plains and are riddled with colourful wildflowers in the spring and summer. There is also a Copper age archaeological site nearby, as well as an Iron Age citadel for visitors to explore.

Additional Landmarks In Nicosia

Nicosia lies in the centre of the island of Cyprus, and the city’s roots can be traced all the way back to the Bronze Age. In addition to the places listed, the city itself has a wide variety of other landmarks that are well worth seeing. With over fifty churches ranging from modern to ancient, there are plenty of architectural ranges to be explored. In addition to this, the city centre is still divided and visitors can get a look at the Greek, Turkish, and other styles that make up the buildings found there. The heart of the city of Nicosia retains much of the medieval architecture while the newer, outer city, is a contemporary mixture of business and culture. Both include small cafes, little shops, and taverns.

The entire city is a maze of interesting narrow streets and old houses. The walls of the buildings are made of sandstone and visitors can find many craftsmen type businesses among the winding pathways. This entire area of Nicosia has changed little over the centuries and it is still known as ‘Laiki Yitonia’ or Folk Neighbourhood. Many of the building have been renovated in order for the entire pedestrian area to hold the atmosphere of days long gone. Two streets – Ledra and Onasagorou – are the oldest in the city and visitors can find every type of shop imaginable along them.