Abandoned city of Varosha (Northern Cyprus). Famagusta city
Varosha is a district of the city of Famagusta. In the sixties and seventies it was the most popular resort in Cyprus and one of the most popular holiday destinations in the entire Mediterranean. The 4-kilometer-long beach was built up with brand new hotels, the most luxurious and modern at that time. There were nightclubs, shops, markets, expensive private villas.
But the year 1974 came, a military coup took place in Cyprus, carried out by Greek nationalists dreaming of reunification with the metropolis, in response to which the Turkish army landed on the island and occupied its northeastern part. In particular, Varosha came under Turkish occupation. The Greek population left the area in a hurry, leaving inside things, furniture, everything they had acquired through back-breaking labor. Then it seemed to them that they would return here in a few days. But 37 years have passed, and the city remains empty.
The Turkish army cordoned it off, surrounded it with a fence and installed observation points along the perimeter. In addition, there are UN posts inside. In general, hundreds of people, for some unknown reason, are guarding an absolutely empty city.
Recently, plans have emerged to transfer Varosha to the Greek side to revive a world-class resort here, with the condition that the majority of jobs there will go to Turkish Cypriots. However, for now these are just plans, and it is unknown when their implementation will begin.
And now there is one hotel operating inside this area. It houses a rest home for officers of the Turkish army.
There are stories on the Internet that life in Varosha froze in 1974, that in hotel rooms and private houses there there is still furniture, shops are full of goods, and on the tables there are plates of food left by Greeks fleeing in panic during war.
But this is all completely untrue. Or rather, all this was true, but in 1977, 3 years after the Turkish invasion, when the Swedish journalist Jan Olaf Bengtson visited Varosha, the words from whose article are still quoted on many websites and in many reports.
But for more than thirty years everything has changed a lot. Now Varosha is completely deserted. Everything that could be taken out of there was taken out. Moreover, both the Turkish military and the former Greek population of the area (few people know, but former residents are allowed to visit inside from time to time).
It must be said that the ghost town of Varosha is not limited to a fence with warning signs on it. Houses abandoned in 1974 are discovered even on the approach to it; they surround the area, like satellites surround the planet. Moreover, it is completely unclear why one house is abandoned and the other is not. It’s not just a matter of property rights (the Turkish population carried out many squatters of residential and administrative buildings in 1974).
Detached abandoned office building
Most of the surroundings of Varosha look very unpresentable. However, it also happens the other way around. For example, we came to the fence of this area along a busy city street with administrative and office buildings on it. We walked and walked and suddenly noticed that behind the roundabout ahead we could already see houses with empty windows and a fence.
And this is not easy to do! The fence is very winding. Sometimes it goes around buildings and entire blocks of residential buildings, sinking its teeth into the body of a dead city.
Since 1974, two generations of people have grown up here for whom this state of affairs is commonplace, who are accustomed to not looking at the other side of the fence at all, ignoring the existence of the dead Siamese twin of their native Famagusta. Therefore, our appearance on these not at all tourist streets is of interest. True, silent. People stealthily stare in our direction, trying not to reveal their curiosity, and shrug their shoulders, completely not understanding what we forgot here.
I have already said: everything that could be taken out of the region was taken out. But the same cannot be said about the surrounding areas. Here the streets are full of half-rotten cars that last moved in the notorious year 1974. And in one of the alleys we were lucky enough to find several boxes with empty bottles of foreign soda, standing in place for 37 years.
Some collectors would bite their own hands off for this treasure, but here no one cares about them. The bottles had long since filled with rainwater. And some drinks, the labels of which are pasted on the container, no longer exist at all!
What a flimsy fence. – Storm tells me. - You can safely jump over.
But there was no need to jump. In one of the dead ends, near some warehouses, I find a decent-sized gap between the fence bars.
- Let's climb! – I offer it to Storm and Fomka, but for some reason they refuse.
OK! I take off my bag and climb into the gap myself.
From this gap, a barely noticeable path goes deeper into the block.
In general, there are several photos and video reports on the Internet from stalkers who managed to walk along the streets of Varosha. Apparently, I discovered just one of the entrances inside that they use.
I’m afraid to go further on my own, I don’t know the rules of conduct here, or the safe paths, I don’t know anything at all. So I take a photo as a souvenir and return to the mainland.
Mission accomplished! I was in Varosha!
For a note. Fortunately, I did not dare to go further. Upon arrival, I found the place of my penetration into Varosha on Google Earth and discovered that a hundred meters from “my” hole in the fence was the main entrance to this ghost town. And there are armed soldiers. I wish I could run into them! It would be funny...
In about ten minutes we will go out along the city street just in time for this post. I will go straight to the dugouts with soldiers armed with machine guns, we will make eye contact, I will look for a minute at the street, blocked by a barrier, going into the area, then I will turn around and walk further along the fence.
In another five minutes we will reach the central stadium of Famagusta, located at the very outskirts of the dead city.
The cathedral in the background, despite its good appearance, is already located in a fenced area
We pass through the stadium and find ourselves in line of sight from the famous Palm Beach. From here you can already see three high-rise buildings near the seashore, which were once hotels, and are now the “calling card” of Varosha. Their image is reproduced in all articles dedicated to this amazing place.
The Palm Beach Hotel itself is currently under renovation. However, the beach at its foot is quite accessible to visitors. There are modern sunbeds, showers, changing rooms, and a cafe. And all this is right next to the fence, behind which there are empty hotels.
But first we go not to the beach itself, but to an old dilapidated pier protruding from it into the sea.
There are already about a dozen people on the pier. Mainly locals. They all take pictures against the backdrop of the sea. We don’t give a damn about the sea for now. We take pictures against the backdrop of abandoned hotels lined up along the shore receding into the distance.
Wow! – Storm says, seeing the panorama that opened from the pier. All he knew about Varosha was that this area existed. And our walks along the fence with one- and two-story houses on the other side did not inspire him much. And here is such a spectacle!
We go down from the pier to the beach. It's time to swim in the sea again. Moreover, there is such beauty around!
On the beach, I can hear Russian speech out of my ear. Judging by the accent, Moscow. I approach them, say hello, and ask if they paid for the sunbed, and, if so, how much.
- Two euros. - Muscovites answer. It is now clear how much money is used to support the infrastructure on the beach.
No! No sunbeds! Let's settle down on the sand.
Oh, what sand there is! Small, clean, pleasant to the touch. Now it’s clear why this resort was so popular in its time. With such wonderful sand! I read on the Internet that the sand here is one of the best on the entire Mediterranean coast.
After swimming, I walk along the shore all the way to the fence that blocks the beach perpendicular to the water and separates the living city from the dead. Above this fence rises a guard post of the Turkish army.
I look at the destroyed buildings on the other side of the fence, the washed-out beach and shore, and glance at the booth, wondering if anyone is watching me now. It seems like no one.
But this serene silence stops when two Czech guys approach the fence and try to take a couple of pictures.
- Don't take pictures! – A man in military uniform suddenly appeared in the window of the observation post shouts. The Czechs dismount and quickly leave.
- Why not take pictures? - I'm interfering. – The Internet is full of photographs of Varosha.
- Then why do you need another one? – The soldier calmly counters me.
I'm going back to my friends. We bask in the rays of the setting sun for some time, take pictures against the backdrop of dead hotel buildings, then get ready and go see the Old Town of Famagusta while it is still light. Yesterday we failed to do this!
To the city Famagusta"lucky" with the names. The Greeks call this city Ammochostos (Αμμόχωστος), the Turks call it Magosa or Gazimağusa. Therefore, on the signs the city may be called completely differently, depending on which side of Cyprus you are approaching from, but not Famagusta.
Brief history of Famagusta
The city was founded by the king of Hellenistic Egypt, Ptolemy II, at the beginning of the 3rd century BC. a few kilometers from the ancient city of Cyprus - Salamis. Ptolemy II received the nickname Philodelphus (Πτολεμαῖος Φιλάδελφος), meaning “sister-lover,” after he married his sister Arsinoe. The new city was named after her Arsinoe.
For a long time Arsinoe looked more like a small fishing village than a city. Only in the 7th century, after the destruction by the Arabs of neighboring Salamis, at that time already called Constantia, did settlers begin to arrive there. Gradually, Arsinoe from a “village” turned into a small port city, which received the name Ammochostos, which translated from Greek means “lost in the sands.” The Greeks themselves still call it that way.
The key moment for the city was 1192, when Cyprus passed into the hands of the Lusignans, who continued the renaming, calling the city Famagusta. It was with the arrival of the Lusignans that the city began to develop rapidly, and soon became a full-fledged city. Famagusta is beginning to play an increasingly important role in the Eastern Mediterranean. And the most rapid development of Famagusta began in 1291 - after the fall of Tire and Acre and the departure of the Crusaders from the Holy Land, Christian settlers from Palestine poured into the city. Subsequently, Famagusta passed into the hands of the Genoese, and then the Venetians. Remaining the only major port between Europe and Asia, Famagusta flourished thanks to active trade. Merchants and shipowners of that time were drowning in luxury, but they did not forget about the city. It was believed that the wealth of a city can be assessed by the number of churches in it. So, according to this indicator, Famagusta was one of the leaders. “The city of 365 churches” - that’s what they once called it.
How to get there
How to cross the “green line” towards Famagusta is described in detail by us in the corresponding story, and then everything is simple. Having passed the checkpoint, we simply drive without turning anywhere. After 4.5 km the road will lead us to the obelisk, which is hard to miss. The fortress wall will already be visible behind it.
The obelisk stands in the center of the ring. You need to go around it and continue moving almost in the same direction so that the fortress remains on your left hand. After a hundred meters there will be an entrance to the fortress, but we advise you to drive another kilometer to the end of the wall. We turn the corner there, and after a hundred meters we will see another entrance, through which we will penetrate inside the fortress and immediately turn right. After 350 meters, on the left hand, we will find a parking lot where we will leave the car, and in the future we will walk inside the fortress. Record the GPS coordinates of the parking lot.
35.125500 33.944000 – parking place in the Famagusta fortress
The old city is surrounded by a fortress wall. If you want to walk along the wall, you will have to walk more than three kilometers to get around it. The height of the fortress walls reaches 15-17 meters, and the width is 5-9 meters. From above, the fortress looks like an irregular rectangle. Its walls survived many earthquakes, as well as artillery shelling, but were perfectly preserved.
The Lusignans were the first to build the fortifications of Famagusta. The Venetians significantly rebuilt the fortress - it was necessary to take into account the artillery that had appeared by that time.
We get out of the car and head towards a huge building, which is clearly visible from the parking lot. This is the main attraction of Famagusta − Cathedral of St. Nicholas, and now the Lal Mustafa Pasha Mosque.
St. Nicholas Cathedral - Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque
Cathedral of St. Nicholas is the main medieval temple of Famagusta. The cathedral was built by the Lusignans in 1298-1312 in the late Gothic style and consecrated in 1328. From then on, the kings of the Lusignan dynasty were first crowned as "Kings of Cyprus" in the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Nicosia, and then as the "Kings of Jerusalem" in the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Famagusta. In this cathedral in 1489, Caterina Cornaro, the last queen of the Lusignan dynasty, signed her abdication in favor of the Venetians.
The upper parts of the cathedral's two towers were damaged by an earthquake, and later the cathedral itself was heavily damaged by artillery during the Turkish siege of the city in 1571. In August 1571, Famagusta fell and all of Cyprus came under the control of the Ottoman Empire. The Turks turned the cathedral into a mosque Hagia Sophia, adding a minaret to its left tower. According to Islamic tradition, it was believed that images of people, animals and symbols of other faiths in “their” temple were unacceptable. Therefore, almost all the statues, crosses, frescoes, paintings, graves and altar were removed from the cathedral or covered over. This is how the cathedral appears to us today.
The cathedral is located in the central square of the city. To his left grows a huge ficus tree, which the Lusignans still remember. On the tablet you can read the date of his birth - 1299. Well, now you can go inside the mosque. Don't forget to take off your shoes when entering.
In 1954, the mosque became known as the Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque in honor of the commander of the expeditionary force that captured Cyprus. In February 1570, the Ottoman Empire “ordered” Venice to give it Cyprus, putting forward unacceptable conditions. Having received a refusal, the Turks landed their troops on the “defenseless” coasts between Limassol and Larnaca. Nicosia was the first target, and after two months of siege it surrendered. The Turks destroyed all the survivors there. Next it was the turn of Kerynia, one of the most fortified fortresses of the island. But, seeing the example of Nicosia before them, the garrison of Kerynia surrendered the city to the enemy without resistance, despite the orders of the Venetians for its defense. As a result, the Turks did not touch Kerynia. And finally, Famagusta’s turn came. The military commander of the fortress was then Mark Antonio Bragadin. He believed the Venetians that their help would arrive in time, and six thousand garrison soldiers held back the siege of Famagusta for ten months. And at that moment more than one hundred thousand Turks gathered at the city walls!
When the forces of the garrison were exhausted, and the promised reinforcements never arrived, a difficult decision was made to surrender the fortress. At the same time, during the negotiations on surrender, it was agreed that the Turks would not prevent the surviving residents and defenders of the city from leaving freely for Crete. On August 1, 1571, the fortress was surrendered. As a result, “forgetting” about all the promises, the Turks brutally dealt with the defenders of Famagusta, but they treated Bragadin with particular sophistication. We will not describe this in detail, we will only say that in one of the Italian churches the skin of Bragadin, which Mustafa’s soldiers tore off him alive, is kept as a holy relic.
The Turks expelled the surviving inhabitants of the city from Famagusta, and they settled nearby in the suburbs, which in Greek sounds like Varosha. Well, we’ll talk about Varosha today - this is a separate topic, but for now we’ll continue the tour of the fortress.
If we walk about two hundred meters from the cathedral in approximately the same direction as we walked from the parking lot, we will see another church - Church of Peter and Paul.
If the Cathedral of St. Nicholas is an example of Gothic architecture, then in the Church of Peter and Paul there is a combination of Gothic and Byzantine architecture. It was built in 1358-1360. Over time, the church has experienced several metamorphoses. After capturing the island, the Turks turned it into a mosque, and later the British turned it into a warehouse. After 1964, when the island gained independence, it was used by Turkish Cypriots as a meeting place. Today there is a public library here.
Now we turn back and walk along a parallel street with “same type” shops to the fortress wall. By the way, there are plenty of shops there on every street. You can have a pretty good “shopping” if that’s part of your plans. True, one incident happened to our friends there, but we will tell about it later. Here is a view of the street, at the end of which you can see the wall.
As a result, we will come to one of the old entrances to the city, which is called Sea Gate (Porta del Mare- Italian). You can climb up and look at the views of the old city.
The entrance to the gate is guarded by a stone lion. However, you can still look at the lion and the views in our photo album about Famagusta, but for now let’s move on.
Having descended from the heights of the fortress, we will go from it to the left. A hundred meters later the Church of St. George awaits us... or rather, what’s left of it.
To date, most of the city’s temples have not survived - this was facilitated by earthquakes, and for the most part, of course, by the shelling of the city by the Turks in 1571. But the British also had a hand. During the construction of the Suez Canal, from here, as from other cities of Cyprus, many stones were removed from the dilapidated churches of the city that they dismantled. Therefore, we now see most of the ancient churches of Famagusta in the form of ruins.
One of Shakespeare's works, the action of which took place there, is also associated with Famagusta. We are talking about the tragedy "Othello". According to legend, this is the place where Cristoforo Moro, the then governor of Cyprus, suspecting his wife’s infidelity, killed her and threw her into the sea. Tragedy, in a word. Moor in Italian is precisely "Moro", so it is quite plausible that Shakespeare described this particular story. One of the towers of the fortress is called: Othello Tower.
Here we finish the story about the old city and go to another, notorious area of Famagusta. Yes, but first about the incident that happened in the leather goods store.
We and our friends each had our eye on a cute bag. We bargained (there you can and should bargain a little), and paid with cards. Then they also liked beautiful leather wallets. And they seemed to agree on the price - 21 euros per pair. We paid again, but took a good look at the receipt... and it beautifully wrote 210 euros (they know how to withdraw money in other currencies). Then the sellers tried to convince us that this was the amount they quoted. Try pronouncing 21 and 210 in English. Few letters will match, let alone words. Our reinforcement prompted the sellers to issue a refund to the card. It’s good that our friends received the SMS regarding the transactions on time, from which it became clear that the purchase was cancelled. That's it, watch out!
Varosha
Varosha (Greek Βαρώσια, Turkish Maraş) was once a suburb, and more recently just a quarter on the outskirts of Famagusta. Before the Turkish invasion in 1974, it was a popular tourist destination. The British ravaged Famagusta with one hand, transporting ancient stones to the Suez Canal, and with the other hand they built a new city. In Famagusta, and especially in Varosha, many new hotels and accompanying “infrastructure” were built in the form of restaurants, bars, nightclubs and other characteristic objects of attraction. The peak of Varosha’s popularity as a tourist destination occurred in 1970-1974. By this time, many celebrities had visited the resort, among whom Brigitte Bardot and Elizabeth Taylor were spotted.
On August 15, 1974, the Turks occupied Famagusta, and before that it, including Varosha, was bombed. In the story about Derynyi, we already told the story of the owner of our hotel, who was then a boy living in the area. The Greeks living in Varosha were evacuated. As a result, Varosha is now located in the area of the demarcation line and does not belong to anyone.
We drove up to this area, left the car on one of the streets and walked to the local beach. Soon we saw that same Varosha in its beautifully disgusting form. The beach was beautiful - wide and long, but the appearance of the “hotels” was depressing.
The ghost town of Famagusta in Cyprus attracts tourists with its originality. Back in the relatively recent 60s, one of the most fashionable resorts in the Mediterranean flourished here, and the local beaches were visited by the most famous celebrities. Now, Famagusta is an exclusion zone, surrounded by barbed wire and guarded around the clock by Turkish gendarmes. Time stood still in Famagusta in 1974, and this story - a place abandoned by people and frozen in time - is something between Cuba and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. But we'll start from the beginning.
From antiquity to the Middle Ages
Just 6 km north of the modern city of Famagusta in Cyprus, there was once the richest and most powerful polis on the island - Salamis (another name is Salamis), founded, according to legend, immediately after the Trojan War by Teucer Telamonides. For more than a millennium, this policy was the capital of the Cypriot kings and the center of trade in the Eastern Mediterranean. On the coast near Salamis in the 3rd century. BC. Ptolemy II, king of Hellenized Egypt and an ally of Rome, founded another polis - Arsinoe.
For more than a millennium, Salamis was the capital of the Cypriot kings and the center of trade in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Earthquakes of 332 and 342 Both cities were not spared. The Roman Emperor Constantius gave preference to Salamis (renamed Constantius) and rebuilt it again. Soon this city became the center of the Cypriot Church, and on the ruins of Arsinoe a small fishing settlement arose - Famagusta. In the 7th century Her time had come: the residents of Salamis-Constancia had to leave their homes due to constant attacks by Muslim Arabs. Today, the forum-gymnasium and amphitheater of Salamis, restored during excavations, are considered practically the calling cards of Northern Cyprus.
Richard the Lionheart, the Kings of Cyprus and the Jealous Commandant
On May 1, 1191, the fleet of the English crusader king Richard the Lionheart, heading from Rhodes to Accra, was caught in a storm. Of the four ships washed ashore, one survived, but its passengers - the king's sister and fiancee - became prisoners of the usurper of Cyprus, Isaac Komnenos. Richard's response was symmetrical: he captured the island, waiting for the emperor to leave it for a while. After this, for many years, until the end of the 13th century, Cyprus remained in the possession of the Crusaders.
During Turkish rule, St. Nicholas Cathedral was renamed the Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque
Famagusta became a significant settlement of Cyprus only at the end of the 13th century, with the fall of the Christian kingdoms of Palestine. It was thanks to the exodus of the Crusaders that Famagusta very soon became a city where those who still dreamed of returning to the Holy Land settled. Hopes were in vain, but Famagusta turned into a rich trading port, protected by a formidable fortress.
From 1328 to 1374 representatives of the Lusignan dynasty, nominally considered the kings of Jerusalem, but in fact the kings of Cyprus, were crowned in the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Famagusta. In 1374, Famagusta was annexed by Genoa, which won the war with Cyprus. The Lusignan dynasty died out in 1489, after which, according to the will of the widow of the last king, Caterina Cornaro, Cyprus passed to Venice.
Rumor has it that the story of a jealous husband and his wife, which took place here in 1508, formed the basis of Shakespeare's tragedy Othello.
In 1505, Cristoforo Moro was appointed commandant of the fortress and castle of Famagusta, which also became Venetian. The fortress has already been repaired and the castle rebuilt in the Renaissance style. According to legend, from one of its towers in 1508, Commandant Moreau threw the body of his murdered wife, whom he suspected of infidelity, and then committed suicide. This dark story formed the basis of Shakespeare's tragedy Othello.
From empires to republics
The Famagusta fortress in Cyprus is famous not only for the Othello Tower, but also for its heroic defense in 1570-71, during the siege of the city by the troops of the Turkish Sultan Selim II. The siege lasted 10 months, but the forces were clearly unequal. The Venetians had to surrender the city. One of the conditions for surrender was the unhindered exit of the surviving soldiers from Famagusta. Lala Mustafa Pasha, commander of the Turkish army that was besieging the fortress, agreed to these conditions, but did not keep his promises.
Until recently, Famagusta was one of the most fashionable resorts in the Mediterranean
Turkey owned Cyprus until 1878. In Famagusta, the southern coastal region of Varosha was allocated for Greek residence. Orthodox and Latin churches became mosques. The Cathedral of St. Nicholas (now the Lal Mustafa Pasha Mosque) also became a mosque, but the majority of Greek Cypriots continued to secretly perform Christian rituals. From 1878 to 1960 Cyprus was a British colony, but the Turks and Greeks still lived separately.
In 1960, Cyprus gained independence, with both communities retaining full self-government. This allowed us to start developing the tourism business. Famagusta in Cyprus has become one of the most prestigious resorts. Among her guests were Brigitte Bardot and Elizabeth Taylor with Richard Burton. In the Varosha area, full-scale construction of hotels has begun on the first line, and on the second, next to the colonial-style houses, new villas have appeared...
Ghost town of Famagusta: retribution for trust
On August 14, 1974, tanks approached Famagusta: this is how the Turkish government responded to the desire of the Greek Cypriots to reunite with Greece. On August 16, the city was occupied by Turkish troops. Residents of the Varosha region, who fled from shelling and bombing, had no idea that they were leaving their homes forever. They were told that they would be able to return as soon as the situation was resolved. The area was surrounded by concrete fences with barbed wire, and the ghost town became a cruel reality. The settlement of the situation in this area of Famagusta has been going on for 40 years...
Time stood still in Famagusta in 1974
According to a UN resolution adopted in 1984, only former local residents can settle in the area, but this is prohibited by the Turkish authorities. That is why the beaches of Varosha, considered perhaps the best not only in Famagusta, but also in the Mediterranean as a whole, are deserted today. Both fashionable hotels built in the early 70s and neat Greek houses have already despaired of waiting for their owners and guests...
The Famagusta forbidden zone immediately attracted the attention of “stalkers”. Clothing, equipment, dishes - everything was looted in the first years of the existence of the “dead city”. The “craftsmen” removed the aluminum frames from the windows, dismantled them “to the bones” and took out the furniture, and extracted all the stuffing from the abandoned cars. This is despite the fact that only Turkish gendarmes, UN representatives and a few journalists are still allowed to enter the closed area.
Entry into the closed area is still allowed only to Turkish gendarmes, UN representatives and a few journalists
However, in recent years, it is allowed to walk or ride on a tourist bus along the perimeter of the “dead city” on excursions to Famagusta (Gazimagusa in Turkish), but there is still no talk of walking through the territory itself. Violators face heavy fines and subsequent deportation. All close-up photos that can be found in blogs and the media were obtained either illegally or with special permission for foreign journalists.
Excursions: where you can and where you can’t
The ghost town of Famagusta is, of course, an exaggeration, and it is quite possible to walk along its streets, bypassing, of course, the Varosha district. But to do this, you will need to cross the border with Northern Cyprus and obtain an entry visa at the checkpoint, which is placed in a separate insert. You can do this yourself on, but it is better to act for sure, giving preference to an excursion with a guide who knows all the ins and outs (an article about a guide in Cyprus offering excursions to Famagusta, and ask him a question about the trip using the feedback form below). And it will be much easier to see the ghost town, especially since Turkish gendarmes do not welcome citizens walking along the restricted area unaccompanied.
As part of the excursion, you can see the fortress with the Othello Tower, the sea gate, a mosque, stroll around the city, etc.
As part of such an excursion, it is usually also proposed to explore the fortress with the Othello Tower, the sea gate, the Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque, as well as stroll through the streets of the city, including for shopping purposes. If you no longer plan to cross the border with Northern Cyprus, it makes sense to visit other cities with ancient history, for example, Kyrenia or Lapithos.
I admit that I would like to start this post with the words “...the mysterious and unknown abandoned city of Varosha,” but I can’t. Because it is not at all mysterious and has been visited by many people. It got to the point that guided tours have already begun around the perimeter of the dead zone (the city is surrounded by fences). Two thoughts occurred to me when I was driving around this “perimeter” by myself: very bad things happened here back in 1974, and the second thought was that the Turks could earn millions if they allowed tourists to get inside the perimeter. Unfortunately, the dead city will remain so for a very long time, the reason for everything is UN Resolution No. 550, adopted on May 11, 1984, which literally states that this area can only be inhabited by its former inhabitants (Attempts to resettle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible). What does this resolution mean in practice? Greek Cypriots will still not be able to return to their homes, and Turkish Cypriots will not be able to reclaim and put in order what was abandoned by the Greeks. So Varosha will remain dead, surrounded by fences with barbed wire and gendarmes watching over us (tourists) so that they don’t take pictures of the exclusion zone. You may ask, what happened on these wonderful beaches near the blue sea that they are not even allowed to photograph them?
Without going into a retelling of the history of the Cyprus conflict, I will start with 1974, when Turkish troops landed on the island and occupied its northern part. Traditionally, it is customary to take the side of the Greeks; they are more “ours” than the Turks. But I will try to be neutral and propose to honestly admit that the Greeks started the mess with their military coups and deprivation of the Turkish minority of their rights. Turkey's reaction was certainly disproportionate, but in general both sides were inadequate and, through joint efforts, led to a bloody drama on the sunny island of Aphrodite.
Varosha is the southern suburb of ancient Famagusta, there were several dozen high-rise hotels and boarding houses stretching along beautiful beaches (the best in Cyprus), and on the second line there was a Greek quarter with private estates, churches, and parks. The Turks traditionally lived to the north, in Famagusta. In the early 70s it was, without exaggeration, one of the coolest resorts in the Mediterranean! Then no one knew about Antalya and Croatia, but Elizabeth Taylor, Brigitte Bardot, Richard Burton and many others vacationed in Varosha. The grace ended in an instant, on July 20, 1974, when Greek troops, under pressure from the advancing Turkish army, announced the urgent evacuation of Famagusta and Varosha. In a matter of days, tens of thousands of Greeks, fearing massacre, fled from Famagusta and Varosha, abandoning literally everything; There was food left in refrigerators, unmade beds, scattered things, family albums, cars in garages. People fled so quickly that if the Turks opened Varosha to the public today, it would become the most stunning museum of the apocalypse in the world, in which everything remained as if the people had just disappeared, evaporated. The trees that have sprouted in the apartments add additional zest to this drama.
Particularly sensitive readers will rightly note, they say, aren’t you ashamed to be so cynical about the unfortunate people who have lost their homeland? The answer is simple: I certainly feel sorry for people, but we cannot return the past, we must learn to live with what we have.
Closed military zone
A huge area, approximately 4 kilometers long and one and a half kilometers wide, is surrounded on all sides by fences. On one side, the zone is washed by the sea, on the other, ordinary Turks live literally right next to the fence. Their windows overlook the houses of their former neighbors. But you cannot cross the closed zone. I'm sure the local Turkish boys are climbing the fence and wandering around the dead city. But for an ordinary tourist it is almost impossible to do this. There are a lot of military, police, and just vigilant citizens. Even the very fact of your appearance in close proximity to the fence causes bewilderment and dissatisfaction of the military. And some local activists will also joyfully “knock” on the phone, saying that there are tourists photographing the church behind the fence.
The history of Cyprus is complicated and controversial. This has been especially evident in recent centuries. Interethnic hatred, fueled against the backdrop of a very favorable geographical location and wealth of natural resources, literally does not allow the island’s population to develop and prosper. The golden sand of local beaches, which attracts tourists from all over the world, the warm sea, and wonderful landscapes cannot reconcile the Cypriots themselves among themselves.
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Since 1974, Cyprus has become one of the most militarized places on the globe. But this does not prevent travelers from enjoying the colorful views of architectural monuments, beach holidays and clean air, saturated with the aromas of fragrant greenery.
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In Famagusta there is something to see for connoisseurs of antiquity. The city is located on the Karpas Peninsula. Once upon a time, before the invasion of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century, these lands were simply fabulously rich. The famous Turkish siege of the city fortress is glorified by Emilio Salgari in the exciting adventure book “Captain Tempesta”.
A stone citadel, the governor's house and ancient fortifications 15 km long surround the old city, keeping traces of the military exploits of their defenders. And in the central square, among different-caliber cannons and neatly stacked cannonballs for them, between sculptures of lions, sitting on empty powder kegs in the shade of huge trees, you can taste real Turkish coffee. Narrow streets with small houses, seemingly completely untouched by civilization, transport walkers to the Middle Ages, as if in a time machine.
Othello Tower
Some argue that Shakespeare wrote the tragedy Othello based on the events that took place in one of the city towers. According to legend, the influential nobleman Cristoforo Moro killed his wife Desdemona, suspecting her of infidelity. The building is called “Othello’s Tower”. They say that somewhere in its cellars lie countless treasures hidden by Venetian merchants fleeing the Ottoman conquerors.
St. Nicholas Cathedral
In the 14th century, the Cathedral of St. Nicholas was erected here. In the late Gothic style, the temple impresses with a sense of solidity and delightful external decoration. Inside, the vaulted ceiling above elongated windows and slender columns creates an impression of sublime fullness.
In 1571 it was seriously damaged by cannonballs and almost all of the sculptural decorations disappeared. In addition, the Turks transformed it. Now it is the mosque of Lal Mustafa Pasha, one of the Ottoman military leaders. The Church of Peter and Paul, which is also an outstanding architectural monument, was also turned into a Muslim temple.
Church of St. George
In the same bombing, the Church of St. George of the Latins was practically destroyed. Built in the mid-13th century, it was the first Catholic parish church. The wall that remains standing preserves the grandeur and monumentality of the entire structure. But the palace in the Renaissance style, created in 1552-1554 by the architect Sanmicheli, was greatly rebuilt, but retained the texture and splendor of those times.
Ganchvor
In 2003, the so-called “Ganchvor” located on the territory of a Turkish military base was opened for excursions. This is a monastery built in 1346 according to all the canons of Armenian architecture. The temple was restored several times, as several times it “fell into the hands” of militant Turkish Cypriots.
Ancient Salamis
At a distance of some 7-8 km from Famagusta there is an undoubted miracle of archeology - the remains of ancient Salamis. This city was founded in the 11th century BC. hero of the Trojan War Teucer. Many myths accompany his arrival in Cyprus. The temple of Zeus erected by him, even in its state of ruins, captivates with its scale and former pomp. The marble forum, surrounded by ancient statues, whose heads, unfortunately, adorn the collections of European antiquarians, is perfectly preserved.
Fragments of mosaic panels on some walls were walled up during Christianization, so as not to confuse the people with “shameful” pictures. Thanks to this, it is now possible to delight the eye with the art of masters of distant antiquity. The stadium's stands, the amphitheater, the market and public restrooms survived. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of an educational institution. Everything speaks about the well-being of the townspeople. But a series of earthquakes and pirate raids forced them to move to Famagusta.
Why is the ghost town
They started calling it a “ghost town” thanks to the light hand of Swedish journalist Jan Olaf Bengtson. In September 1977, he visited Varosha, a closed area of the city, and described abandoned houses and streets. The images of the desolation of the once thriving tourist center shook him to the core. Then, in August 1974, people were evacuated in a hurry; they were only allowed to take two bags with them. In a matter of hours, well-appointed high-rise buildings, fashionable hotels, shops and expensive restaurants were empty.
In his essay, Bengston wrote about the tables being set, the counters stocked with goods, and even the lights being turned on and forgotten in abandoned rooms. Photos of a half-unloaded pickup truck with Pepsi-Cola bottles empty in the sun, and the open doors of dusty mezzanines with kitchen utensils spread all over the world. They can be easily found on the Internet.
District Varos
Since 1960, when Cyprus became a separate independent power, Famagusta gradually grew and became a large industrial metropolis. It turned into a true paradise for successful businessmen, authoritative politicians, popular artists who wanted to spend their holidays at a prestigious resort. The largest number of fashionable new buildings, which housed elite hotels, nightclubs, and concert halls, was concentrated in Varosha.
It was this area that was “frozen” during the “Cyprus Peacekeeping Operation”, as Turkish sources indicate the emergence of the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”. This state remains recognized only by Turkey to this day. Greek Cypriots now live in the south, Turks in the north.
The conflict remains unresolved in modern times, but in 2008 the wall dividing it into two parts was destroyed in the capital Nicosia. Nowadays, even though you have to go through customs, you can move freely around the entire island, enjoying the sights and delights of nature.
