Nicosia
Nicosia
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Coat of arms | |
Coordinates: 35°10′21″N 33°21′54″E / 35.17250°N 33.36500°E | |
Claimed by |
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Administered by | |
•South •North |
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Ind.) | |
• Mayor of Nicosia Turkish Municipality | Mehmet Harmancı (TDP) |
Area | |
• Land | 51.06 km2 (19.71 sq mi) |
Elevation | 220 m (720 ft) |
Population | |
• Municipality |
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• Urban |
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UTC+3 (EEST) | |
Post code | 1010–1107 |
Area code | +357 22 |
ISO 3166 code | CY-01 |
Website |
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Nicosia (/ˌnɪkəˈsiːə/), also known as Lefkosia in Greek (Λευκωσία; pronounced [lɛfko'siɐ]) and Lefkoşa in Turkish (pronounced [lefkoʃa]), is the capital and largest city of Cyprus.[3]
Nicosia is the southeasternmost of all
Apart from its legislative and administrative functions, Nicosia has established itself as the island's financial capital and its main international business center.[4] In 2018, Nicosia was the 32nd richest city in the world in relative purchasing power.[5]
Names
The earliest mention of the city is on a clay prism[
By
).The
The town also appears as Callinicesis (Καλλινικησις, Kallinikēsis, or Καλλινεικησις, Kallineikēsis) in some of the
History
Prehistoric Nicosia
Nicosia has been in continuous habitation since around 2500 BC near the beginning of the Bronze Age, when the first inhabitants settled in the fertile plain of Mesaoria.[17]
The
Ancient Nicosia
By 330 BC, Ledra was recorded to be a small unimportant town.
In the 4th century, the town was the seat of a bishopric under the name Ledron, Leuteon, or Leucotheon. Its bishop
Medieval Nicosia
After the destruction of Cyprus's capital
On his way to the Holy Land during the Third Crusade in 1187, Richard I of England's fleet was plagued by storms. He himself stopped first at Crete and then at Rhodes. Three ships continued on, one of which was carrying Joan of England, Queen of Sicily and Berengaria of Navarre, Richard's bride-to-be. Two of the ships were wrecked off Cyprus, but the ship bearing Joan and Berengaria made it safely to Limassol. Joan refused to come ashore, fearing she would be captured and held hostage by Isaac Komnenos of Cyprus, who hated all Franks. Her ship sat at anchor for a full week before Richard finally arrived on 8 May. Outraged at the treatment of his sister and his future bride, Richard invaded.[29][citation needed] Richard laid siege to Nicosia, finally met and defeated Isaac Komnenos at Tremetousia and became ruler of the island, but sold it to the Knights Templar.
The Frankish rule of Cyprus started from 1192 and lasted until 1489. During this time, Nicosia was the capital of the medieval
In 1373/4, Nicosia was occupied and ravaged by the
In 1489, when Cyprus came under the rule of the Republic of Venice, Nicosia became their administrative center and the seat of the Republic. The Venetian Governors saw it as a necessity for all the cities of Cyprus to be fortified due to the Ottoman threat.[31] In 1567 Venetians built the new fortifications of Nicosia, which are well-preserved still to this day, demolishing the old walls built by the Franks as well as other important buildings of the Frankish era including the King's Palace, other private palaces and churches and monasteries of both Orthodox and Latin Christians.[32] The new walls took the shape of a star with eleven bastions. The design of the bastion is more suitable for artillery and a better control for the defenders. The walls have three gates, to the North Kyrenia Gate, to the west Paphos Gate and to the east Famagusta Gate.[32] The river Pedieos used to flow through the Venetian walled city. In 1567 it was later diverted outside onto the newly built moat for strategic reasons, due to the expected Ottoman attack.[33]
Ottoman rule
On 1 July 1570, the city came under the rule of the
Nicosia was the seat of the Pasha, the Greek Archbishop, the Dragoman and the Qadi. The Palazzo del Governo of Venetian times became the seat of the Pasha, the governor of Cyprus, and the building was renamed as the Konak or Seraglio (Saray). The square outside was known as Seraglio Square or Sarayonu (literally front of the Saray), as it is known to the present day. The saray was demolished in 1904 and the present block of Government Offices built on the site.[38]
When the newly settled Turkish population arrived they generally lived in the north of the old riverbed. Greek Cypriots remained concentrated in the south, where the
The names of the 12 quarters into which Nicosia was originally divided at the time of the Ottoman Conquest are said to be derived from the 12 generals in command of divisions of the Ottoman army at the time. Each general being posted to a quarter, that quarter (with two exceptions) was known by his name as follows:
- General Ibrahim Pasha.
- General Mahmoud Pasha.
- General Ak Kavuk Pasha. (This is a nickname meaning "white cap".)
- General Koukoud Effendi.
- General Arab Ahmed Pasha.
- General Abdi Pasha, known as Chavush (Sergeant) from which rank he was probably promoted.
- General Haydar Pasha.
- General Karamanzade (son of a Caramanian, other names not given).
- General Yahya Pasha (now known as the Phaneromeni Quarter).
- General Daniel Pasha (name of quarter changed subsequently to Omerie in honor of the Caliph Omar who stayed there for a night when in Cyprus).
- Tophane (Artillery Barracks)
- Nebetkhane, meaning police station or quarters of the patrol.[38]
The names of the generals in command of the last two-quarters have been lost:
Later the number of neighborhoods was increased to 24. Each neighborhood was organized around a mosque or a church, where mainly the respective Muslim and Christian communities lived.[40]
British rule
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1881 | 11,536 | — |
1891 | 12,515 | +8.5% |
1901 | 14,481 | +15.7% |
1911 | 16,052 | +10.8% |
1921 | 11,831 | −26.3% |
1931 | 23,324 | +97.1% |
1946 | 34,485 | +47.9% |
1960 | 45,629 | +32.3% |
Source for 1881–1960.[41] |
Nicosia came under the rule of the United Kingdom on 5 July 1878 in consequence of the Cyprus Convention,[42] in exchange for its support of the Ottoman Empire during the Congress of Berlin.
The old Ottoman administrative headquarters (the Saray) was replaced in 1904 by a new building containing Law Courts, the Land Registry, and the Forestry, Customs, and Nicosia Commissioner's Offices.[38] Adjacent was the Nicosia Police headquarters, while opposite were the General Post Office and the Telegraph Office.[43] A Venetian Column, previously in a fenced courtyard near the Saray,[44] was restored on a new site in the summer of 1915 in the middle of Saray Square. The Nicosia column was presumably erected in compliment to the reigning Doge Francesco Donati about the year 1550.[38]
Just after the British Occupation a Municipal Council was constituted in Nicosia in 1882 for the general administration of public affairs within the city and for a certain area without the walls, under the presidency of a Mayor.[38] The first municipal offices were in Municipality Square (now the central municipal market), but in 1944 the offices were transferred temporarily to the d'Avila bastion and in 1952 this was made permanent with a decision to renovate the building.[45]
In 1923 the municipal limits were extended further (see map) and this new area was divided among several of the existing intramural neighborhoods.[46] In 1938 the boundary was extended to the present limits in the west and to the boundaries of Ayii Omoloyites, Palouriotissa, Kaimakli and Omorfita.[47] In 1944 the village authority of Ayii Omoloyites was absorbed, then, shortly after independence, Palouriotissa, Kaimakli and Omorfita were annexed to the city in 1968.[48]
In 1955 an armed struggle against British rule began aiming to unite the island with Greece,
Independence and division
In 1960, Nicosia became the capital of the
On 15 July 1974, there was
On 20 July 1974, the coup d'état precipitated the invasion of the island by the Turkish army.[56] The operation included two phases. The second phase of the Turkish invasion was performed on 14 August 1974, where the Turkish army advanced their positions, eventually capturing a total of 37% of Cypriot territory including the northern part of Nicosia. The fighting left the island with a massive refugee problem on both sides.[57]
On 13 February 1975, the Turkish Cypriot community declared the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus in the area occupied by Turkish forces.[58] On 15 November 1983, Turkish Cypriots proclaimed their independence as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, that is recognized only by Turkey and seen by the international community as a part of the Republic of Cyprus but not under its effective control.
On 23 April 2003, the
From 30 October 2016 and onwards, Nicosia became the only capital city in the world that had two
Geography
Climate
Being in the
Climate data for Athalassa, Nicosia, elevation: 162 m (1991–2020) (Satellite view) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 24.0 (75.2) |
27.8 (82.0) |
33.4 (92.1) |
39.0 (102.2) |
43.9 (111.0) |
43.3 (109.9) |
44.6 (112.3) |
45.6 (114.1) |
45.3 (113.5) |
40.4 (104.7) |
32.6 (90.7) |
28.4 (83.1) |
45.6 (114.1) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 15.8 (60.4) |
16.6 (61.9) |
20.0 (68.0) |
24.7 (76.5) |
29.8 (85.6) |
34.4 (93.9) |
37.5 (99.5) |
37.4 (99.3) |
34.0 (93.2) |
29.2 (84.6) |
22.7 (72.9) |
17.7 (63.9) |
26.7 (80.1) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 10.7 (51.3) |
11.2 (52.2) |
13.8 (56.8) |
17.7 (63.9) |
22.6 (72.7) |
27.1 (80.8) |
30.0 (86.0) |
30.0 (86.0) |
26.7 (80.1) |
22.5 (72.5) |
16.8 (62.2) |
12.5 (54.5) |
20.1 (68.2) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 5.7 (42.3) |
5.8 (42.4) |
7.6 (45.7) |
10.8 (51.4) |
15.3 (59.5) |
19.8 (67.6) |
22.6 (72.7) |
22.5 (72.5) |
19.4 (66.9) |
15.9 (60.6) |
10.8 (51.4) |
7.3 (45.1) |
13.6 (56.5) |
Record low °C (°F) | −2.3 (27.9) |
−2.9 (26.8) |
0.0 (32.0) |
1.6 (34.9) |
7.5 (45.5) |
10.6 (51.1) |
10.5 (50.9) |
16.3 (61.3) |
13.0 (55.4) |
5.4 (41.7) |
0.3 (32.5) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
−2.9 (26.8) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 53.2 (2.09) |
41.5 (1.63) |
29.1 (1.15) |
21.1 (0.83) |
26.2 (1.03) |
14.5 (0.57) |
4.9 (0.19) |
1.2 (0.05) |
10.8 (0.43) |
24.4 (0.96) |
39.3 (1.55) |
64.1 (2.52) |
330.2 (13.00) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 24.3 | 21.9 | 15.9 | 11.3 | 9.4 | 3.7 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 10.0 | 13.0 | 24.6 | 139.4 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
76 | 74 | 68 | 62 | 58 | 53 | 53 | 58 | 59 | 62 | 69 | 77 | 64 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 180.0 | 190.5 | 240.5 | 271.8 | 327.7 | 368.3 | 385.9 | 364.4 | 306.8 | 269.2 | 216.2 | 176.9 | 3,298.4 |
Source: World Meteorological Organization Normals (NOAA) [66] |
Cityscape
This section needs additional citations for verification. (January 2015) |
South of the Green Line
Ledra Street is in the middle of the walled city. The street has historically been the busiest shopping street of the capital and adjacent streets lead to the most lively part of the old city with narrow streets, boutiques, bars and art-cafés. The street today is a historic monument on its own, covering about 1 km (0.6 mi) in length and connects the south and north parts of the old city. During the EOKA struggle that ran from 1955 to 1959, the street acquired the informal nickname The Murder Mile in reference to the frequent targeting of the British colonialists by nationalist fighters along its course.[67][68] In 1963, during the outbreak of hostilities between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, following the announcement of amendments to the Cypriot Constitution, Turkish Cypriots withdrew to the northern part of Nicosia which became one of the many Turkish Cypriot enclaves which existed throughout the island. Various streets which ran between the northern and southern part of the city, including Ledra Street, were blockaded. During the Turkish army invasion of Cyprus in 1974, Turkish troops occupied northern Nicosia (as well as the northern part of Cyprus). A buffer zone was established across the island along the ceasefire line to separate the northern Turkish controlled part of the island, and the south. The buffer zone runs through Ledra Street. After many failed attempts on reaching agreement between the two communities, Ledra Street was reopened on 3 April 2008.
To the east of Ledra Street,
The walls surrounding the old city have three gates. In The Kyrenia Gate which was responsible to the transport to the north, and especially Kyrenia, the Famagusta Gate which was responsible for the transport from Famagusta, Larnaca and Limassol and Karpasia, and the Paphos Gate for transport to the west and especially Paphos. All three gates are well-preserved,[69] with Famagusta gate functioning as a venue for art exhibitions and concerts.[70] The historic center is clearly present inside the walls, but the modern city has grown beyond.
Presently, the main square of the city is Eleftheria (Freedom) Square, with the city hall, the post office and the library. The square, which has been redesigned by Zaha Hadid Architects and was delivered to the public in 2021,[71] connects the old city with the new city where one can find the main shopping streets such as the prestigious Stasikratous Street, Themistokli Dervi Avenue and Makariou Avenue.
Nicosia is also known for its fine museums. The
Nicosia also hosts an
North of the Green Line
At the center of the walled city lies the Sarayönü Square. The square has been dubbed as "the heart of Nicosia" and historically has been the cultural center of the Turkish Cypriot community.[72] In the middle of the square stands the Venetian Column, known simply as "the Obelisk" ("Dikiltaş") to the locals and symbolic of the country's government.[72] The column was brought from the ancient city of Salamis by the Venetians in 1550.[73] The Girne Avenue connects Sarayönü to the Kyrenia Gate and the İnönü Square in front of it. The avenue has been described as "the symbol of the walled city", and is filled with numerous shops and restaurants.[74]
Next to the Ledra Street checkpoint is the Arasta area. The area was pedestrianized in 2013 and is home to a network of historic shopping streets, reflecting an eastern shopping tradition with food and traditional items.[75] Nearby Büyük Han, the largest caravanserai in the island and considered to be one of the finest buildings in Cyprus, was built in 1572 by the Ottomans and functions as a cultural center.[76][77] To the west of the Girne Avenue lies the Samanbahçe neighborhood, built in the 19th century by the government, considered to be the first example of social housing in the island. Still a residential area, the neighborhood is considered to be one of the best representations of the Cypriot culture.[78] Another central point in the walled city is the Selimiye Mosque, originally built as the St. Sophia Cathedral. The mosque is the chief religious center in Northern Cyprus. It was built between 1209 and 1228 by the Latin Church of Cyprus, in a Gothic style resembling French cathedrals.[79] Next to the mosque is the Bedesten, a large Greek church in the Byzantine and Gothic styles, built in the 14th century. It was used as a marketplace in the Ottoman era. Today, it is used as a cultural center where various cultural activities such as concerts and festivals take place.[80][81]
The quarters of Nicosia outside the walled city are more spacious than the walled city, with wider roads and junctions. These areas are characterized by multi-floor concrete buildings. In the outskirts of the city, a number large and imposing villas have been built that belong to the middle and upper-classes.[82] The Dereboyu Avenue serves as the modern heart of the northern part and is its center of entertainment.
Politics and administration
Governance of the metropolitan area
The population of the conurbation is 300,000 (2011 census, plus Turkish Cypriot administered census of 2006) of which 100,000 live within the Nicosia municipal area. Because Nicosia municipality has separate communal municipal administrations, the population of Strovolos (67,904 (2011 Census)) is actually the largest of all the local authorities in Greater Nicosia.
Within Nicosia municipality, most of the population resides in the more recently annexed outlying areas of
There is no metropolitan authority as such for Greater Nicosia and various roles, responsibilities and functions for the wider area are undertaken by the Nicosia District administration, bodies such as the Nicosia Water Board and, to some extent, Nicosia municipality.
The Nicosia Water Board supplies water to the following municipalities: Nicosia, Strovolos, Aglandjia, Engomi, Ay. Dometios, Latsia, Geri and Tseri. The board consists of three persons nominated by the Council of each municipality, plus three members appointed by the government, who are usually the District Officer of Nicosia District, who chairs the Board, the Accountant General and the Director of the Water Department. The board also supply Anthoupolis and Ergates, for whom the government provide representatives. Thus the board is in the majority controlled by the municipalities of Greater Nicosia in providing this vital local government service.[83]
The Nicosia Sewerage Board, is likewise majority controlled by the municipalities of Greater Nicosia. It is chaired ex officio by the Mayor of Nicosia and consists of members chosen by the municipalities of Nicosia (6 members), Strovolos (5 members), Aglandjia (2 members), Lakatamia (2 members), Ay. Dometios (2 members), Engomi (2 members), Latsia (1 member). The sewage treatment plant is at
Public transport is not controlled by the local authorities, but comes under the Nicosia District administration, which is an arm of the Ministry of the Interior. Transport services (primarily bus and taxi) are provided by private operators such as OSEL.[85] In late 2019 the contract for providing transport services in the district of Nicosia was awarded via tender to a private consortium which was expected to take over the system on 5 July 2020.[86][87]
Nicosia Municipality
The Nicosia Municipality is responsible for all the municipal duties within the walled city and the immediately adjacent areas. The Constitution states that various main government buildings and headquarters must be situated within the Nicosia municipal boundaries.[88] However separate municipalities are prescribed by the constitution for in the five largest towns, including Nicosia,[89] and in the case of Nicosia the separate administration was established in 1958. The Turkish Municipal Committees (Temporary Provisions) Law, 1959[90] established a municipal authority run by a "Turkish Municipal Committee", defined as "the body of persons set up on or after the first day of July, 1958, in the towns of Nicosia, Limassol, Famagusta, Larnaca and Paphos by the Turkish inhabitants thereof for the purpose of performing municipal functions within the municipal limits of such towns".The "Nicosia Turkish Municipality", founded in 1958, carries out municipal duties in the northern and north-western part of city.[91] The remaining areas, in the south and east of the city, are administered by Nicosia Municipality.
Nicosia Turkish Municipality
The first attempt to establish a
Other municipalities in Greater Nicosia
Until 1986 there were no suburban municipalities. Then, following the procedures in the Municipal Law 111/1985, Strovolos, Engomi, Ay. Dometios, Aglandjia, Latsia and Lakatamia were erected into municipalities.[98] Each municipal council has the number of members described in the Municipal Law 111/1985 depending on the population figures. All members of the council are elected directly by the people for a period of 5 years.
Administrative divisions and demographics
Nicosia within the city limits is divided into 29 administrative units, according to the latest census. This unit is termed in English as
The municipality of Strovolos, established in 1986, is the second largest municipal authority in Cyprus in terms of population after Limassol and encompasses the southern suburbs of the capital immediately adjacent to Nicosia municipality.[101] Lakatamia, Latsia, Geri and Aglandjia are other separate municipalities in the Nicosia metropolitan area.
The town of
Religion
Historically Nicosia is a melting pot harmonizing multiple religious establishments, denominations, churches, mosques, synagogues, etc. Traditionally Nicosia hosts Greek Orthodox churches, Armenian Apostolic churches, Latin Catholic, Maronite Catholic, Anglican churches, Evangelical churches as well as mosques and synagogues.
Armenian Apostolic Church
One of the oldest Armenian churches known as the Benedictine Abbey of Our Lady of Tyre, was founded in the 13th century as a principal convent following the fall of Jerusalem. In 1308, the Lusignan king,
Maronite Catholic Church
The Maronite community is a traditional community in Nicosia. The archeparchy extends its jurisdiction over all the faithful Maronites of the island of Cyprus. Its arcieparchial seat is the city of Nicosia, where is located the Our Lady of Grace Cathedral (Nicosia).
The archeparchy at the end of 2013 out of a population of 838,897 people had 10,400 baptized, corresponding to 1.2% of the total. Its territory is divided into 12 parishes. Our Lady of Grace Cathedral is the main Maronite church of the city of Nicosia, in Cyprus, and is the cathedral of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Cyprus.
The first cathedral was dedicated to St. John, but during the Ottoman occupation it was turned into a mosque. The Lebanese Maronite community erected the church of Santa Croce, later entrusted to the Franciscans, and the current church of Our Lady of Grace is near to the Franciscan church. In 1960, the seat of the vicarage and the surrounding buildings were built.[112] On 6 June 2010 Pope Benedict XVI, the first pope to make an apostolic trip to the island, visited the cathedral of Nicosia.[113]
Anglican Church
The church of St. Paul was built in 1893 when Cyprus was a protectorate of the British Empire. The influence of politics on architecture is evident by the structural elements of the building, which is reminiscent of an English parish church. The Christian church today is part of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf.
Greek Evangelical Church
The Greek Evangelical Church of Nicosia is a relatively modern architecture serving the local Protestant community. Along with special hours dedicated to services of the Greek Evangelical community, it serves as a worship center of local Protestants of other nationalities, such as Armenian, American, Romanian, Korean, Chinese, etc. It is located on Gladstone Street.[114]
Armenian Evangelical Church
The first
There was also a small Armenian Evangelical church, located on Mahmoud Pasha Street, in the Turkish-occupied part of the walled city of Nicosia—behind the old American Academy building, near the
Converted cathedral
Perhaps the most iconic religious architecture of Nicosia is the Cathedral of Saint Sophia, also known as the Agia Sophia of Nicosia, which was constructed in the year of 1326 as a Catholic church. It was converted into a
The first imam of the mosque was Moravizade Ahmet Efendi, who hailed from the Morea province of the Ottoman Empire.[120] All imams maintained the tradition of climbing the stairs to the minbar before Friday sermons while leaning on a sword used during the conquest of Nicosia to signify that Nicosia was captured by conquest.[121]
Following its conversion, the mosque became the property of the Sultan Selim Foundation, which was responsible for maintaining it. Other donors formed a number of foundations to help with the maintenance.[122] Okçuzade Mehmed Paşa, a governor of Cyprus in the 16th century, donated a shop to provide income for the Sultan Selim Foundation; other donations include estates in the countryside and other shops. The foundation employed trustees (mütevelli) to look after the funds and transferred 40,000 akçe annually to Medina in late 16th century.[123] During the Ottoman period, it was the largest mosque in the whole island, and was used weekly by the Ottoman governor, administrators and elite for the Friday prayers. In the late 18th century, a large procession that consisted of the leading officials in the front on horseback, followed by lower-ranking officials on foot, came to the mosque every Friday.[122]
Islam
Historically Nicosia (south and north) hosts over 15 mosques, either originally constructed as such or converted from a church. The Ömeriye Mosque, formerly known as the Augustinian Church of Saint Mary is a mosque in the walled city of Nicosia on the island of Cyprus, currently located in the south section of Nicosia.[124] Following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the mosque gained significance as one of the most important sites of Muslim worship in the non-Muslim section of the island and the city.[124] Currently, the mosque is functioning and open for both worshippers and visitors.[125][126]
Formerly, the site of the mosque was occupied by the Augustinian Church of Saint Mary, which dated back to the 14th century. During the
After the Turkish conquest of Cyprus,
According to
Culture
The
Art galleries in Nicosia include the Leventis Gallery, which hosts over 800 paintings from Cypriot, Greek or European artists.
Nicosia offers a wide variety of musical and theatrical events, organized either by the municipality or independent organizations. Halls and theaters used for this purpose include:
- The Cyprus National Theater, which contains two performance spaces:[132]
- the 550-seat Lyric Theater with a bold exterior but an intimate theatrical environment. Its design minimizes the distance from actor to audience;
- the 150-seat New Theater, which is an open-ended workshop space, with simple galleries around the room. The stage can be set in the center, at the ends, or to one side of the room, and the space can be opened to the private garden beyond.
- The Pallas Cinema-Theater which was renovated from a near derelict state in 2008.[133]
- Theatro Ena[134]
- Maskarini Theater[135][136]
- Dionysos Theater[137][138]
- Melina Mercouri Hall[139]
- Theatro Dentro
Nicosia's universities also boast an array of facilities, and many churches and outdoor spaces are used to host cultural events.[citation needed] The Near East University hosts the Atatürk Cultural and Conference Center, with 700 seats.[140]
Nicosia hosted the Miss Universe 2000 pageant.[141]
In June 2011, Nicosia launched a failed campaign to become the European Capital of Culture for 2017.[142]
Education
Nicosia has a large student community as it is the seat of five universities, the University of Cyprus (UCY), the University of Nicosia, the European University Cyprus, the Open University of Cyprus and Frederick University. In addition, the city is home to the oldest still-operational high-school in Cyprus, Pancyprian Gymnasium.
Nicosia is also home to one of the largest historic Armenian schools, the
Economy
This section needs to be updated.(October 2017) |
Nicosia is the financial and business heart of Cyprus. The city hosts the headquarters of all Cypriot banks, namely the former
Transport
Nicosia is linked with other major cities in Cyprus via a
Public transport within the city is served by a new bus service. Bus services in Nicosia are run by OSEL.[146] In the northern part, the company of LETTAŞ provides this service.[147] Many taxi companies operate in Nicosia. Fares are regulated by law and taxi drivers are obliged to use a taximeter.
In 2010, as part of the Nicosia Integrated Mobility Plan, a pre-feasibility study for a proposed tram network has taken place and sponsored by the Ministry of Communications and Works. The study compared two scenarios, with and without the operation of a tramway in terms of emitted polluting loads.[148]
In 2011, the Nicosia Municipality introduced the Bike in Action scheme, a
There is no train network in Cyprus. Plans for the creation of an intercity railway are under way. The first railway line on the island was the Cyprus Government Railway which operated from 1905 to 1951. It was closed down due to financial reasons.[150]
Sports
Nicosia is also the home for many clubs for
Nicosia has some of the biggest venues on the island; the
The Nicosia Marathon took place in 2010 and 2012, organized by Athanasios Ktorides Foundation, and attracted more than 7,000 participants.[152][153]
Nicosia hosted the
Notable people
- Peter I of Cyprus (1328–1369), King of Cyprus
- Kıbrıslı Mehmed Kamil Pasha(1833–1913), Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire
- Fazıl Küçük (1906–1984), former Vice President of the Republic of Cyprus (1960–1963)
- Glafkos Klerides(1919–2013), former President of the Republic of Cyprus (1993–2003)
- Tassos Papadopoulos (1934–2008), former President of the Republic of Cyprus (2003–2008)
- House of Representatives of Cyprus(2008–2011)
- Oil for Food program(1996–2005)
- Nicos Tornaritis, politician and jurist, member of the House of Representatives and Consultant of the Republic of Cyprus
- Neoklis Kyriazis (1877–1956), historian and member of the National Council of Cyprus
- Alparslan Türkeş (1917–1997), Turkish nationalist politician, founder of the Nationalist Movement Party in Turkey
- Kutlu Adalı (1935–1996), journalist, poet and socio-political researcher and peace advocate
- Christopher A. Pissarides, Nobel Prize winner in Economics
- Mustafa Djamgoz, professor of cancer biology at Imperial College London
- Manoug Parikian (1920–1987), violinist and violin professor in the UK
- Suat Günsel (born 1952), businessman and founder of the Near East University
- Nicolas Economou (1953–1993), concert pianist, composer, arranger, conductor and organizer of music festivals
- Mick Karn (1958–2011), musician
- Sevgül Uludağ (born 1958), journalist, activist
- Alkinoos Ioannidis (born 1969), singer
- Michalis Hatzigiannis (born 1978), singer
- Michael Bisping (born 1979), mixed martial artist
- Diam's (born 1980), French rap singer
- Stephanie Solomonides (born 1982), first Cypriot to reach North and South Poles
- Giorgos Papadopoulos (born 1985), composer, singer
- Hovig (born 1989), singer, represented Cyprus at the Eurovision Song Contest 2017
- Hazar Ergüçlü (born 1992), actress on the Turkish drama Medcezir
- Aleksandar Vezenkov (born 1995), basketball player
- Vladimiros Tziortzis (born 1997), racing driver
Twin towns – sister cities
Friendly cities
Nicosia also cooperates with:[154]
See also
- North Nicosia
- List of divided cities
- United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
- Nicosia Music Society
- List of shopping malls in Cyprus
Notes
- Kanli.
References
Citations
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Camped on a tiny sliver of land that forms part of a United Nations-controlled buffer zone in the heart of Nicosia, these 18-year-olds and their friends are calling for a return to a way of life they have never known, one in which their communities can mix freely... It is fitting that the youths' movement is on Ledra Street, a bustling thoroughfare where the first seeds of Cyprus's separation were sown in the 1950s.
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Bibliography
- JSTOR 750045.
- Michaelides, Demetrios, ed. (2012), Historic Nicosia, Nicosia: Rimal Publications.
- Michaelides, Demetrios; et al. (2012), "Nicosia from the Beginnings to the Roman Ledroi", in Michaelides, Demetrios (ed.), ibid..
- Papacostas, Tasos (2012), "Byzantine Nicosia: 650–1191", ibid..
- Theocharides, Ioannis; et al. (2012), "Nicosia under Ottoman Rule 1570–1878: Part I", ibid..
External links
- English-language website for Municipality of Nicosia (Λευκωσια)
- Nicosia travel guide from Wikivoyage
- Old maps of Nicosia, Historic Cities site
- Nicosia Tourism Board
- Lefkoşa(TR)
- Nicosia Municipality (south) website
- Nicosia Municipality (north) website
- Nicosia Municipality website – Transportation
- Cyprus Island – Nicosia
- The World of Cyprus bilingual information portal with background on folk culture and Byzantine influences