Nicosia is the world's last divided capital. The barbed wire and guardtowers of the Green Line cuts the town in two, with the northern side being the capital of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the southern half being the capital of the Republic of Cyprus. The checkpoint in Ledra Street and with its museum dedicated to the victims of Cypriot division is a sad reminder of it.

The Omeriye Hamam is in the old town of Nicosia, next to the Omeriye Mosque and not far from the Archbishop’s Palace. It was built in 1570 - 71 as a donation by Lala Mustafa Pasha to the city after the island fell to the Ottomans. The bath complex or hamam was dedicated to the Caliph Omar and the area became known as Omeriye.

The hamam is still in use and after its recent restoration has become a favourite place for relaxation in Nicosia. In 2006 it received the Europa Nostra prize for the Conservation of Architectural Heritage.

Opening Hours
Monday: 9 am - 9 pm (for couples)
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: 9 am - 9 pm (for men)
Wednesday, Friday, Sunday: 9 am - 9 pm (for women)

 

A fine example of Medieval military architecture, originally constructed in the 13th century and subsequently rebuilt in its present form in the middle of the 15th century. After the fall of Acre in 1291, it served as the Grand Commandery of the Knights of the Order of St John of Jerusalem.

Opening Hours
Daily: 8 am - 5 pm (November - March)
8 am - 6 pm (April - May, September - October)
8 am - 7.30 pm (June - August)

The Frankish Baths are located fairly close to the east walls of the ancient city of Paphos.They were built at the end of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century and consists of a central room with sidelong extensions. The walls were rebuilt at the beginning of the Ottoman period when some of the semicircular, vaulted roofs were replaced by cupolas. The Frankish Baths are among the few Frankish public buildings to survive in Paphos.

Larnaca Fort is situated along the beach, near Ankara Street and is impossible to be missed. It was built in 1625 and originally served as a prison. Today the fort houses an impressive archaeological museum, built like a labyrinth. The fort is also used as the Larnaca Municipal Cultural Centre.

Opening Hours
Monday - Friday: 9 am - 5 pm (November - May & September - October)
Monday - Friday: 9 am - 7.30 pm (June - August)
Saturday & Sunday: closed

The fort is located at the west end of the Paphos harbor. It was built during the Frankish occupation in the 13th century in order to replace the Byzantine castle of 'Saranta Kolones'. The fort has only one entrance on its east side and very small windows. Its main part is a big square tower that has an enclosed courtyard in the middle. The Venetians dismantled the fort in 1570 so that the Ottomans, who had begun their conquest of the island, would not use it. According to a Turkish inscription, placed above the entrance, the Ottomans rebuilt the fort in 1780.

Opening Hours
Daily: 8 am - 7.30 pm (June - August)
8 am - 6 pm (April - October)
8 am - 5 pm (November - March)
 

Larnaca’s main historical attraction is the the nearby mosque of Hala Sultan Tekke, which draws pilgrims from across the Moslem world. The mosque is located next to a Salt Lake southwest of the city, where pink flamingos are found in abundance.  Hala SultanTekke is the memorial to Umm Haram, wife of Ouvadas Ibn-as Samiz, a general of Moavias who was the leader of the first Arabic invasion of the island in 649 B.C.

Opening Hours
Daily: 8 am - 7.30 pm (June - August)
8 am - 6 pm (April - May, September - October)
8 am - 5 pm (November - March)
 

A religious, national and political monument, the Old Archbishop’s Palace is an 18th century two-store building in the heart of Nicosia that is closely associated with modern Cypriot history. Next to it is the new Archbishop’s Palace, a two - store stone building in Neo - Byzantine style housing the offices of the archdiocese and the residence of the archbishop. It was built by Archbishop Makarios III between 1956 and 1960 and also houses the Byzantine Museum and the Library of the Archbishopric. Since the completion of the new Archbishopric, the Old Archbishop’s Palace has housed the Folk Art Museum and the National Struggle Museum.

Famagusta Gate, the most significant of the gates of Venetian Lefkosia, opened onto the road that led to the most important harbour town of the island, hence its name. It was originally known as ‘Porta Giuliana’ in honour of Giulio Savorgnano, the engineer who designed and erected the Venetian walls.

The gate has an impressive façade and consists of a large vaulted passage with a large domed room in the middle, 10.97 metres in diameter. On either side of the passage are oblong rooms for the guards.

Opening Hours
Monday - Friday: 10 am - 1 pm, 4 pm - 7 pm

 

In 1567 the Venetians decided to fortify the city of Nicosia. Julio Savorgnano, an architect and engineer, is believed to design the fortifications for the city according to contemporary defense methods. The walls have the shape of a star with eleven bastions. The bastions have a hear shape, which was more suitable for the artillery and a better control for the defenders. The walls have only three gates, to the North Kyrenia Gate, to the west Paphos Gate and to the east Famagusta Gate that is the larger and was also named Porta Julia in honor of the architect.