Nicosia has aways been Cyprus' capital. The wall couldn't keep the Ottomans - they stayed until the British took control in 1878.The EOKA, a group who wanted Cyprus returned to Greece, saw violence in the 1950s. The 17% Turkish Cypriots didn't want that and so there was more carnage in the 1960s. Britain, Turkey and Greece became 'guarantor powers' to the independent Republic of Cyprus.
Violence continued and the Turkish Cypriots withdrew from parliament. In 1974, the country was divided and a British officer drew a line through Nicosia with a green pen and today this is called The Green Line and still separates the Turkish north part of Nicosia from the Greek south part of the city. We were able to easily go from one side to the other with stamps on a paper visa form but it took 29 years for the locals to be able to cross the Green Line to reunite with families and friends on the other side. The Green Line is manned by the UN today.
I wanted a photo of the sign on the dividing barb-wired wall although photos are forbidden. Just as John had finished taking it a soldier arrived to tell him not to take any photos. You can see his head over the top of the fence. These signs are every where in Cyprus where there are UN troops, British bases and on the dozens of Turkish military bases in the North.
The old city is delightful here. The UN Development Programme has spent a lot of money in Nicosia on upgrading the old city and restoring its bath houses, churches, mosques, bazaars and inns.
Local archtectureThis 16th century caravanserai from the Ottoman time of the Middle Ages was used to accommodate travellers, stable their animals, trade their goods and catch up on the all important gossip.
