Welcome to whatson-nicosia.
This guide is intended to give you an idea of what to see and do
during your visit to Nicosia (Lefkosa).
Links to our main pages contain
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Information about Nicosia (Lefkosa).
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Places of Interest around Nicosia (Lefkosa).
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Current Weather in Nicosia (Lefkosa), with a fifteen day forecast
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Suggestion for Leisure Activities.
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A weekly list of what's on in North Cyprus.
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A History of Cyprus.
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According to Assyrian sources from the 7th Century BC, today's
Nicosia then used to be a city named Ledra. In about 300 BC, the son of
the Egyptian king Ptolemy, Lefkos, rebuilt the city, and his name is
immortalised in the modern local name of Lefkosa (Turkish) or Lefkosia
(Greek). Nicosia is the Frankish name of the city, and is thought to
have appeared in the late 1100s.
In 1191, Richard the Lionheart, on his way to the Holy Land during
the Third Crusade, captured the island as a response to actions against
his fleet by the King of Cyprus. It was in Cyprus that Richard married
Berengaria of Navarre, who was chosen as his wife by his mother, Queen
Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Nicosia has been the capital city of Cyprus since this time, and it
flourished during the Lusignan era. Churches and palaces were built, and
Nicosia grew in size and population. This glorious period in the history
of the city ended in 1489 when the Venetians captured Cyprus.
After the conquest by the Ottomans in 1570, the city gained new vigour,
and mosques, baths and other institutions to meet the requirements of
its new masters were established, and a new building activity began.
Yet, to our day, the city has kept its oriental charm of a peaceful
oasis where softly and beautifully shaped palm trees overhang the roofs.
In the old city, beautiful examples of Gothic and Ottoman architecture
abound; the
Selimiye Mosque, the
Bedesten, and the
Great Inn, to name
just a few.
If your time in Nicosia is limited, perhaps the best way to get a
flavour of the city is to take one of the free walking tours. These last
for two hours, and look at the
Mevlevi Museum,
Samanbahce houses, The
Venetian Column, the
Great Inn,
Selimiye Mosque, the
Eaved House,
Arasta
and many other historical landmarks.
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