The Monastery of St. Barnabas and his tomb Finding this ancient monastery shouldn’t be too difficult. It is near the Royal Tombs and you will see its twin domes from the Famagusta to Salamis to road. Barnabas was originally named as Sosis, Joese or Joseph and was the first saint of Cyprus. He along [...]
Namik Kemals Prison It is suprising to note that the dark and nightmarish Namik Kemals Prison was once a part of the Venetian Palace, where dignitaries and other heads of the community held office and attended parties. It was badly damaged however during 1571, when Famagusta, was conquered by the Ottomans. After this time [...]
Kertikli Hamam Situated near the Martinengo Bastion and the surrounding churches is Kertikli Hamam. Today, the remains of that old and grand bath house are ruins, however the original six domes remain.The custom of building bath houses was brought to Cyprus by the Ottoman. As a dome house Kertikli Hamam, was divided into [...]
Enkomi / Famagusta Enkomi is very different from the place it was during the Bronze Age. It was the bustling and vibrant capital of Cyprus or Alasia as it was known then. The mining and exporting of copper was a large industry and it was sent to nobilities, the Hittites and the Egyptian pharaohs. [...]
Ayia Zoni – Famagusta The influence of the Byzantines can be seen in the architectural styles of many of their buildings, particularly the Ayia Zoni Church. It is one of only three remaining churches of the Byzantine era in Famagusta. History of Ayia Zoni Church Situated near another popular church, Nicholas Cathedral and like [...]
Ayia Photou – Famagusta There were a lot of churches in Famagusta. In fact, at one time there are over 300 of them, with various architectural styles depicting French, Lusignan, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Venetian influences. Only a very small amount of them have survived. Built in the fourteenth century, the Ayia Photou Underground Church [...]
