Lefkosa (nicosia)
Selimiye Camii and the cluster of half a dozen or so buildings in this immediate area form the heart of old LEfkosa.They were nearly all originally Christian Crusader structures, converted by the Ottomans in the 16th century to Muslim or secular functions. Lefkosa was the gothic capital of the Lusignan kings, and they graced it with magnificent palaces, churches and gardens. Much was destroyed in pillaging through the centuries by Venetians Genoese, Egyotians and Turks, and earthquakes helped wreak the final havoc.
The end result, with its medley of Christian and Muslim, cathedrals turned into mosques, Greek foundations topped by Turkish roofs, churches reworked as public baths, archbishopsâ palaces reincarnated as municipal offices, is what makes Lefkosa memorable today.
Anyone who is attracted by things Turkish should spend a day in Lefkosa. Here, within the walls of the old city, are concentrated the islandâs major Ottoman monuments, many of them either still in use, or renovated as museums.
Lefkosa is divided into Greek and Turkish sectors by the euphemistically named âGreen Lineâ, erected by the UN, an ugly barrier built from barbed wire and corrugated iron, cutting across the heart of the old walled city. The sight of streets barricaded and houses bisected has a certain eria fascination and few will visit Lefkosa without taking a look at the Green Line. The Greeks do not permit visitors from the north to enter their sector, but those who have seen Greek within its walls in a way that Greek Nicosia will be struck by the difference. Turkish Lefkosa has retained the life and bustle within its walls in a way that Greek Nicosia has not. The medieval city in the south is a decaying one, with few ancient monuments, and the bulk of its buildings, rundown and neglected, are inhabited only by the old and the poor. The heart of Greek Nicosia has moved out of the walled town into the high-rise suburbs of the modem commercial city.Getting there, around away On the new highway funded by the Saudi Arabians, it takes a mere 20 minutes from Girne to Lefkosa, and many people who work in Lefkosa commute with ease in half an hour from Girne. Gazimagusa is a 50-minute drive away. It is therefore possible, especially from a Girne base, to visit the major monuments of Lefkosa in a half-day, but it will be more leisurely and enjoyable to spend a whole day there.
Dolmus run regularly to Lefkosa from the other major towns in North Cyprus. Currently it will only cost you about 60p from Girne, £1 return. Dolmus run from the bus station to Lefkosaâs terminal at the south end of town. Alternatively, across the Belediye Meydani in Girne, dolmus charge the same but sometimes drive into the heart of the old city, saving you a ten-minute walk in Lefkosa.It is fairly easy to walk around the walled parts of Lefkosa, and the main attractions are closely packed together. However, it is worth noting that Lefkosa is blessed with the highest temperatures in the north, with humidity and its inland position making it a very uncomfortable place over midday.
