128-551: The Ledra Palace Hotel is located in central Nicosia , Cyprus , and until 1974 was one of the largest and most glamorous hotels of the capital. The hotel was designed by the German Jewish architect Benjamin Günsberg and was built between 1947 and 1949 by Cyprus Hotels Limited at a cost of approx £240,000 Cyprus pounds on what was then called King Edward VII Street, since 1962 Markos Drakos Avenue . The hotel opened on 8 October 1949 in
256-645: A Maronite archbishopric , and a Roman Catholic church. At the centre of the walled city lies the Sarayönü Square . The square has been dubbed as "the heart of Nicosia" and historically has been the cultural centre of the Turkish Cypriot community. 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. The column
384-529: A Greek military occupation of Smyrna. Although Smyrna would be occupied by Greek troops, authorized by the Allies, the Allies did not agree that Greece would take sovereignty over the territory until further negotiations settled this issue. The Italian delegation acquiesced to this outcome and the Greek occupation was authorized. Greek troops evacuated Smyrna on 9 September 1922 and a small allied force of British entered
512-610: A close political ally, the High Commissioner of Smyrna (appointed over political riser Themistoklis Sofoulis ). In April 1919, the Italians landed and took over Antalya and began showing signs of moving troops towards Smyrna. During the negotiations at about the same time, the Italian delegation walked out when it became clear that Fiume (Rijeka) would not be given to them in the peace outcome. Lloyd George saw an opportunity to break
640-543: A decisive role, for many inhabitants of southern Italy more represents the beginning of a form of colonialism while for them the union was made on the terms of the Italian north, who essentially imposed his own powers, his language, his culture, the Italian South was more economically developed than the North, but this trend was reversed after unification. Thus emerge views interwoven with neo-bourbonism (Italian: Neoborbonismo) which
768-624: A federation of the seven islands, with Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Maitland its first " Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands ". A few years later Greek nationalist groups started to form. Although their energy in the early years was directed to supporting their fellow Greek revolutionaries in the revolution against the Ottoman Empire , they switched their focus to enosis with Greece following their independence. The Party of Radicals (Greek: Κόμμα των Ριζοσπαστών) founded in 1848 as
896-527: A fire destroyed the Greek and Armenian quarters of the city, while the Turkish and Jewish quarters remained undamaged. Culpability for the fire is blamed on all ethnic groups and clear blame remains elusive. On the Turkish side - but not among Greeks - the events are known as the " Liberation of İzmir ". The evacuation of Smyrna by Greek troops ended most of the large scale fighting in the Greco-Turkish war which
1024-501: A mission under the foreign minister in the city. Moreover, the Greek claim over the Smyrna area (which appeared to have a clear Greek majority, although exact percentages varied depending on the sources) were supported by Woodrow Wilson 's Fourteen Points which emphasized the right to autonomous development for minorities in Anatolia. In negotiations, despite French and Italian objections, by
1152-490: A negative response. After anti-British riots in 1931, the desire for self-government within the British Commonwealth developed, but the movement for enosis became dominant. Greek Cypriots made up around 80% of the island's population between 1882 and 1960, and the enosis movement resulted from the nationalist awareness that was developing among them, coupled with the growth of the anticolonial movement throughout
1280-679: A part of the inhabitants of the south for secession from the state of Italy, its union with the Hellenism of the Mediterranean Sea (and re-establishment of Magna Graecia and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies ). Through pages mainly on Facebook, historical issues are highlighted that have more to do with the Greek presence in Italy that begins with the migration of the Greek diaspora in the 8th century BC.,
1408-526: A pro-enosis political party. In September 1848 there were skirmishes with the British garrison in Argostoli and Lixouri on Kefalonia , which led to a certain level relaxation in the enforcement of the protectorate's laws, and freedom of the press as well. The island's populace did not hide their growing demands for enosis, and newspapers on the islands frequently published articles criticising British policies in
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#17328512169381536-560: A relatively weak fort within the city. The economy under Byzantine rule consisted mostly of the trading of agricultural goods, but the town also produced luxury items and metalware due to the presence of the imperial administration. On his way to the Holy Land during the Third Crusade in 1187, Richard I of England 's fleet was plagued by storms, making him to stop first at Crete and then at Rhodes . Three ships continued on, one of which
1664-527: A report was produced by the British government's Smaller Territories Enquiry into the future of the British Empire 's smaller territories, including Cyprus. It concluded that Cyprus should never be independent from Britain. That view was strengthened by Britain's withdrawal of its Suez Canal base in 1954 and the transfer of its Middle East Headquarters to Cyprus. In 1954, Greece made its first formal request to
1792-592: A stronger connection with Greece. In Greece, the far-right party "Hellenic world empire" (Ελληνική Κοσμοκρατορία), which officially seeks the secession of the Italian south, participated in the 2019 European elections in a joint descent with the Popular Orthodox Rally party and the Patriotic Radical Union party of the independent MEP, elected with the Golden Dawn of Eleftherios Synadinos gathered
1920-510: A supposed son of Ptolemy I Soter or to the sea goddess Leucothea . During the Byzantine period , the form Leucosia ( Λευκουσία , Leukousía )—usually parsed as intending "the white estate" ( ἡ λευκή οὐσία , hē leukḗ ousía )—became common; this developed into modern Greek Lefkosia ( Λευκωσία , Lefkosía , [lefkoˈsi.a] ) and Turkish Lefkoşa ( [lefˈkoʃa] ). The Latin and English name Nicosia appeared under
2048-399: A venue for art exhibitions and concerts. The historic centre 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, connects the old city with
2176-529: Is a form of nostalgia for the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, a term coined in 1960 and born with the creation of the separatist movements in Italy while experiencing a significant increase in popularity around 2011 during the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy, the same decade of prominence of the movement of the re-Hellenization and independence of Greater Greece. The Neo-Bourbonist movement
2304-465: 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. In 1963, during the outbreak of hostilities between
2432-626: Is also used as the venue for cultural events aiming at bringing the two communities closer together as well as for meetings of general interest. Since 2004 it has been the site of a designated crossing point of the Green Line separating the Republic of Cyprus controlled areas from the de facto Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus . 35°10′40″N 33°21′17″E / 35.1779°N 33.3547°E / 35.1779; 33.3547 Nicosia Nicosia , also known as Lefkosia and Lefkoşa ,
2560-480: Is internationally recognised , and Northern Cyprus , which is recognised only by Turkey. The ongoing dispute between the two communities is known as the Cyprus problem . Apart from its legislative and administrative functions, Nicosia has established itself as the island's financial capital and its main international business centre. In 2018, Nicosia was the 32nd richest city in the world in relative purchasing power. In
2688-525: Is supported by small political movements, amateur websites, leading the Italian newspaper Corriere del Mezzogiorno to report that "Neo-Bourbon revanchism is in vogue in recent years..." On a political level, the administrators of the said Magna Graecia - Two Sicilies pages urged followers during the 2023 national elections in Greece to vote for political parties supporting the demand for independence of South Italy and union with Greece. According to Italian media,
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#17328512169382816-803: Is the capital and largest city of Cyprus . It is the southeasternmost of all EU member states ' capital cities. Nicosia has been continuously inhabited for over 4,500 years and has been the capital of Cyprus since the 10th century. It is the last divided capital in Europe; three years after Cyprus gained independence from British rule in 1960, the Bloody Christmas conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots triggered island-wide intercommunal violence , and Nicosia's Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities segregated into its south and north respectively in 1964. A decade later, Turkey invaded Cyprus following Greece's successful attempt to take over
2944-466: Is the movement of various Greek communities that live outside Greece for incorporation of the regions that they inhabit into the Greek state. The idea is related to the Megali Idea , an irredentist concept of a Greek state that dominated Greek politics following the creation of modern Greece in 1830. The Megali Idea called for the annexation of all ethnic Greek lands, parts of which had participated in
3072-479: The British Empire after World War II . In the minds of Greek Cypriots, the enosis movement was the only natural outcome of the liberation of Cyprus from Ottoman rule and later British rule. A string of British proposals for local autonomy under continued British suzerainty were roundly rejected. In the 1950s, the influence of the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus over the education system resulted in
3200-474: The Cold War , but relations began to improve in the 1980s with Greece's abandonment of any territorial claims over Northern Epirus and the lifting of the official state of war between both countries. In modern times, apart from Cyprus, the call for enosis is most often heard among part of the Greek community living in southern Albania. In 1828, the first President of Greece , Ioannis Kapodistrias , called for
3328-523: The Cypriot Arabic Nikusiya . The town also appears as Callinicesis ( Καλλινικησις , Kallinikēsis , or Καλλινεικησις , Kallineikēsis ) in some of the hagiographies concerning the saints Tryphillius and Spyridon ( fl. 4th century ). Nicosia has been in continuous habitation since around 2500 BC near the beginning of the Bronze Age , when the first inhabitants settled in
3456-516: The Cypriot Parliament passed a law to allow for the celebration of the 1950 Cypriot enosis referendum in Greek Cypriot government schools. The history of Northern Epirus in the period 1913-1921 was marked by the desire of the local Greek element for union with the Kingdom of Greece , as well as the redemptive desire of Greek politics to annex this region, which was eventually awarded to
3584-626: The Greek War of Independence in the 1820s but were unsuccessful and so remained under foreign rule. A widely known example of enosis is the movement within Greek Cypriots for a union of Cyprus with Greece. The idea of enosis in British-ruled Cyprus became associated with the campaign for Cypriot self-determination , especially among the island's Greek Cypriot majority. However, many Turkish Cypriots opposed enosis without taksim ,
3712-453: The Ledra Street crossing was also reopened. From 30 October 2016 and onwards, Nicosia became the only capital city in the world that had two time zones , after the parliament of the de facto Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus abolished standard time and decided that Northern Cyprus remains at UTC+03:00 year-round, following Turkey's example. The following year, due to criticism from
3840-632: The Mesaoria plain. It further was at an advantageous position due to its ample water supply. As such, the town developed enough for the Byzantine Empire to choose Nicosia as the capital of the island around 965, when the Byzantine navy restored full Byzantine control over the island and it was organized as a theme of the empire . The Byzantines moved the island's administration seat to Nicosia primarily for security reasons as coastal towns were often suffering from raids. From that point on it has remained as
3968-637: The Ottoman Empire as possible. The initial Greek state included little more than the Peloponnese, Attica and the Cyclades . Its population amounted to less than 1 million, with three times as many ethnic Greeks living outside it, mainly in Ottoman territory. Many of them aspired to be incorporated in the kingdom, and movements among them calling for enosis (union) with Greece, often achieved popular support. With
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4096-625: The Treaty of Bucharest . An unsuccessful Greek uprising in Macedonia against Ottoman rule had taken place during the Greek War of Independence. There was a failed rebellion in 1854 that aimed to unite Macedonia with Greece. The Treaty of San Stefano in 1878 after the Russo-Turkish War awarded nearly all of Macedonia to Bulgaria. That resulted in the 1878 Greek Macedonian rebellion and the reversal of
4224-641: The Triple Entente , Italy was promised the Dodecanese and, if the partition of the Ottoman Empire were to occur, land in Anatolia including Antalya and surrounding provinces presumably including Smyrna. But in later 1915, as an inducement to enter the war, British Foreign Secretary Edward Grey in private discussion with Eleftherios Venizelos , the Greek Prime Minister at the time, promised large parts of
4352-555: 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 Ledra Palace crossing was opened through the Green Line , the first time that crossing was allowed since 1974. This was followed by the opening of Ayios Dometios / Metehan crossing point on 9 May 2003. On 3 April 2008,
4480-562: The Turkish invasion of Cyprus , which led to partition and the current Cyprus dispute . The boundaries of the Kingdom of Greece were originally established at the London Conference of 1832 following the Greek War of Independence . The Duke of Wellington wanted the new state to be limited to the Peloponnese because Britain wished to preserve as much of the territorial integrity of
4608-590: The 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey . Most of the Dodecanese Islands were slated to become part of the new Greek state in the London Protocol of 1828 , but when Greek independence was recognised in the London Protocol of 1830 , the islands were left outside the new Kingdom of Greece. They were occupied by Italy in 1912 and held until World War II, when they became a British military protectorate. The islands were formally united with Greece by
4736-574: The 1947 Treaty of Peace with Italy , despite objections from Turkey, which also desired them. The Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus was proclaimed in 1914 by ethnic Greeks in Northern Epirus , the area having been incorporated into Albania after the Balkan Wars . Greece held the area between 1914 and 1916 and unsuccessfully tried to annex it in March 1916, but in 1917 Greek forces were driven from
4864-593: The 2022 GaWC ranking, Nicosia was classified as a "Beta − " city ( lit. ' global city ' ). The earliest mention of the city is on a clay prism of the Assyrian king Esarhaddon dated to 672 BC, which calls it Lidir. The local form of the name was later variously hellenized as Ledra ( Ancient Greek : Λήδρα , Lḗdra ), Ledrae ( Λέδραι , Lédrai ), Ledroi ( Λήδροι , Lḗdroi ), and Ledron ( Λεδρῶν , Ledrō̂n , and Λῆδρον , Lē̂dron ). By late antiquity , early Christian sources were recording
4992-418: The 4th century, the town was the seat of a bishopric under the name Ledron, Leuteon, or Leucotheon. Its bishop St Tryphillius was a student of St Spyridon . Archaeological evidence indicates that the town regained much of its earlier significance in the early Christian period, and the presence of two or three basilicas with opus sectile decorations, along with marbles decorated with high relief indicate
5120-653: The Albanian Principality. During the First Balkan War, Northern Epirus, which hosted a significant minority of Orthodox speakers who spoke either Greek or Albanian, was, at the same time as South Epirus, under the control of the Greek army, which had previously repelled Ottoman forces. Greece wanted to annex these territories. However, Italy and Austria-Hungary opposed this, while the Treaty of Florence of 1913 granted Northern Epirus to Albania's newly formed Principality,
5248-674: The Anatolian coast to Greece, including Smyrna. Venizelos resigned from his position shortly after this communication, but when he had formally returned to power in June 1917, Greece entered the war on the side of the Entente. On 30 October 1918, the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Entente powers and the Ottoman Empire ending the Ottoman front of World War I . Great Britain, Greece, Italy, France, and
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5376-468: 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 centre where various cultural activities such as concerts and festivals take place. 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
5504-592: The Cypriot Orthodox Church asked the British colonial government to put the enosis question to a referendum on the basis of the right of the Cypriots' for self-determination . Even though the British had been an ally of Greece during World War II and had recently supported the Greek government during the Greek Civil War , the British colonial government refused. In 1950, Archbishop Spyridon of Athens led
5632-465: The Cypriot martyr Arnaude de Rocas dates from the fall of Nicosia. Some 20,000 residents died during the siege and every church, public building, and palace was looted. Nicosia had an estimated population of 21,000 before the Ottoman conquest, and based on the Ottoman census data of 1572, the population had been reduced to 1,100–1,200. The devastation of the city was so extensive that for the few years after
5760-603: The Epirus region having rebelled against Ottoman rule during the Epirus Revolt of 1854 and the Epirus Revolt of 1878 . In 1821, several parts of Western Thrace rebelled against Ottoman rule and participated in the Greek War of Independence. During the Balkan Wars, Western Thrace was occupied by Bulgarian troops, and in 1913, Bulgaria gained Western Thrace under the terms of the Treaty of Bucharest. After World War I , Western Thrace
5888-663: The Frankish era including the King's Palace, other private palaces and churches and monasteries of both Orthodox and Latin Christians. 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 . The river Pedieos used to flow through
6016-410: The General Post Office and the Telegraph Office. A Venetian Column, previously in a fenced courtyard near the Saray, 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. Just after the British Occupation a Municipal Council was constituted in Nicosia in 1882 for
6144-486: 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
6272-414: The Italian political party "Insorgenza Magnogreca" led by Luigi Lista and based in Naples presents itself as a movement that represents, among others, the Greek identity of Southern Italy. The association "Comitato provincia della Magna Graecia" chaired by Domenico Mazza was created with the aim of promoting the union of all the regions of South Italy into a new separate great region of Italy and developing
6400-415: The Latin Church and the Frankish administration of the island. During the Frankish rule, the walls of the city were built along with many other palaces and buildings, including the gothic St. Sophia Cathedral . The tombs of the Lusignan kings can be found there. In 1373/4, Nicosia was occupied and ravaged by the Republic of Genoa and in 1426 from the Mamluk Sultanate . In 1489, when Cyprus came under
6528-490: The Makarios government, and in 1974, the Cypriot National Guard organised a military coup against Makarios that was supported by the Greek government under the control of the Greek military junta of 1967–1974 . Rauf Denktaş , the Turkish Cypriot leader, called for military intervention by the United Kingdom and Turkey to prevent enosis . Turkey acted unilaterally, and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus began. Turkey has since occupied Northern Cyprus . The events of 1974 caused
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#17328512169386656-447: The Ottoman Empire signed the Convention of Constantinople , which created a new Greco-Turkish border that Incorporated most of Thessaly into Greece. Crete rebelled against Ottoman rule during the Cretan Revolt of 1866-69 and used the motto "Crete, Enosis, Freedom or Death". The Cretan State was established after the intervention of the Great Powers, and Cretan union with Greece occurred de facto in 1908 and de jure in 1913 by
6784-399: The Ottomans in the Saray Square during the 1821 revolt. The Palace of the Archbishop can be found at Archbishop Kyprianos Square. Although it seems very old, it is a wonderful imitation of typical Venetian style, built in 1956. Next to the palace is the late Gothic St. John's Cathedral (1665) with picturesque frescos. The square leads to Onasagorou Street , another busy shopping street in
6912-437: The Turkish Cypriot public in the north, the Turkish Cypriot government decided to go back to standard time, following the rest of Europe. Being in the rain shadow of the Troodos Mountains , Nicosia has a hot semi-arid climate ( Köppen climate classification BSh ) due to its low annual precipitation totals and annual temperature range. The city experiences long, hot to sweltering, dry summers, and mild winters, with most of
7040-429: 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. On 13 February 1975, the Turkish Cypriot community declared the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus in the area occupied by Turkish forces. On 15 November 1983, Turkish Cypriots proclaimed their independence as
7168-436: The UN for the implementation of "the principle of equal rights and of self-determination of the peoples", in the case of the Cypriot population. Until 1958, four other requests to the United Nations were made unsuccessfully by the Greek government. In 1955, the resistance organisation EOKA started a campaign against British rule to bring about enosis with Greece. The campaign lasted until 1959, when many argued that enosis
7296-416: The United States began discussing what the treaty provisions regarding the partition of Ottoman territory would be, negotiations which resulted in the Treaty of Sèvres . These negotiations began in February 1919 and each country had distinct negotiating preferences about Smyrna. The French, who had large investments in the region, took a position for territorial integrity of a Turkish state that would include
7424-445: 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. On 1 July 1570, the city came under the rule of the Ottomans . On 22 July, Piyale Pasha having captured Paphos, Limassol and Larnaca marched his army towards Nicosia and laid siege to the city. The city managed to last 40 days under siege until its fall on 9 September 1570. The story of
7552-486: The area by Italy, who took over most of Albania. The Paris Peace Conference of 1919 awarded the area to Greece, but Greece's defeat in the Greco-Turkish War made the area revert to Albanian control. Italy's invasion of Greece from the territory of Albania in 1940 and the successful Greek counterattack let the Greek army briefly hold Northern Epirus for a six-month period until the German invasion of Greece in 1941. Tensions between Greece and Albania remained high during
7680-539: The award at the Treaty of Berlin (1878) , leaving the territory in Ottoman hands. Then followed the protracted Macedonian Struggle between Greeks and Bulgarians in the region, the resultant guerrilla war not coming to an end until the revolution of Young Turks in July 1908. Bulgarian and Greek rivalries over Macedonia became part of the Balkan Wars of 1912–13, with the 1913 Treaty of Bucharest awarding Greece large parts of Macedonia, including Thessaloniki . The Treaty of London (1913) awarded southern Epirus to Greece,
7808-400: The best representations of the Cypriot culture. Another central point in the walled city is the Selimiye Mosque , originally built as the St. Sophia Cathedral. The mosque is the chief religious centre in Northern Cyprus. It was built between 1209 and 1228 by the Latin Church of Cyprus, in a Gothic style resembling French cathedrals. Next to the mosque is the Bedesten , a large Greek church in
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#17328512169387936-427: The call for Cypriot enosis in Greece. The Church was a strong supporter of enosis and organised a plebiscite, the Cypriot enosis referendum , which was held on 15 and 22 January 1950; only Greek Cypriots could vote. Open books were placed in churches for those over 18 to sign and to indicate whether they supported or opposed enosis . The majority in support of enosis was 95.7%. Later, there were accusations that
8064-455: The capital of Cyprus and was the seat of the Byzantine governor of Cyprus. The last such governor was Isaac Komnenos , who declared himself emperor on the island and ruled it from 1183 to 1191. Testimony as late as 1211 indicates that Nicosia was not a walled city at that point and thus that the Byzantines did not build a city wall, thinking that the city's inland location would be sufficient for defense purposes. The Byzantines did, however, build
8192-416: The centre of Nicosia before 1974. It hosts a number of historical buildings and monuments including Faneromeni Church, Faneromeni School, Faneromeni Library and the Marble Mausoleum. Faneromeni Church, is a church built in 1872 in the stead of another church located at the same site, constructed with the remains of La Cava castle and a convent. There rest the archbishop and the other bishops who were executed by
8320-406: The city to prevent looting and violence. The next day, Mustafa Kemal, leading a number of troops, entered the city and was greeted by enthusiastic Turkish crowds. Atrocities by Turkish troops and irregulars against the Greek and Armenian population occurred immediately after the takeover. Most notably, Chrysostomos, the Orthodox Bishop, was lynched by a mob of Turkish citizens. A few days afterward,
8448-407: The conquest, a number of villages in the island had a larger population than Nicosia. The main Latin churches were converted into mosques, such as the conversion of the Saint Sophia Cathedral. 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
8576-621: The course of the Battle of Bizani during the First Balkan War , left a lasting mark on the Enosis movement and was one of its most important events before the 1931 Cyprus revolt . Greek schools and courts suspended their activities, and a court in Nicosia also raised a flag in honour of Sozos, thus breaking the law since Britain had maintained a neutral stance in the conflict. Mnemosyna were held in dozens of villages across Cyprus, as well as in Cypriot communities in Athens, Egypt and Sudan. Greek Cypriot newspapers were swept with nationalist fervor comparing Sozos with Pavlos Melas . A photo of Sozos
8704-436: The decline of the Ottoman Empire, Greece expanded with a number of territorial gains. The Ionian Islands had been placed under British protection as a result of the Treaty of Paris in 1815, but once Greek independence had been established after 1830, the islanders began to resent foreign colonial rule and to press for enosis. Britain transferred the islands to Greece in 1864. Thessaly remained under Ottoman control after
8832-423: The diplomats would refuse to make any comments when Greek control over the area was discussed. The Greek government, pursuing Venizelos' support for the Megali Idea (to bring areas with a majority Greek population or with historical or religious ties to Greece under the control of the Greek state) and supported by Lloyd George, began a large propaganda effort to promote their claim to Smyrna including establishing
8960-420: The fertile plain of Mesaoria. The city-state of Ledra is similarly connected with the area of Nicosia, although the larger share of Mycenaean-era ruins in the area are at the broad hill of Ayia Paraskevi or Leondari Vounò 6 km (3.7 mi) southeast of central Nicosia. Ledra is reported as one of the twelve kingdoms of ancient Cyprus built by Achaeans after the end of the Trojan War . The kingdom
9088-413: The formation of the Kingdom of Greece. Although parts of the territory had participated in the initial uprisings in the Greek War of Independence in 1821, the revolts had been swiftly crushed. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78 , Greece remained neutral as a result of assurances by the great powers that her territorial claims on the Ottoman Empire would be considered after the war. In 1881, Greece and
9216-526: The general administration of public affairs within the city and for a certain area without the walls, under the presidency of a Mayor. 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. In 1923 the municipal limits were extended further (see map) and this new area
9344-479: The geographic partition of Cyprus and massive population transfers . The subsequent events seriously undermined the enosis movement. The departure of Turkish Cypriots from the areas that remained under effective control of Cyprus resulted in a homogeneous Greek Cypriot society in the southern two thirds of the island. The remaining third of the island is majority Turkish Cypriot, and increasing numbers of Turkish nationals have been migrating there from Turkey. In 2017
9472-955: The headquarters for Sector 2 United Nations Roulement Regiment (URR) part of UNFICYP . A 2017 Strategic Review Team from United Nations Headquarters found that due to outdated health and safety measures, the upper floors of the building would have to be vacated by UN forces. A new location opposite of the hotel, named Wolseley Barracks, was chosen as the new headquarters for Sector 2. It has a capacity for 151 troops and 24 officers and opened in 2019. The Ledra Palace Hotel has played host to many high level meetings between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, as well as hundreds of structured conflict resolution workshops between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot peace builders supported and facilitated both by international organizations (e.g., Fulbright , Institute of Multi-track Diplomacy, United States Agency for International Development ) and local pioneers (e.g., Cyprus Conflict Resolution Trainers Group). It
9600-552: The historical centre. 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, with Famagusta gate functioning as
9728-485: The ideas of Greek nationalism and enosis being promoted in Greek Cypriot schools. School textbooks portrayed Turks as the enemies of Greeks, and students took an oath of allegiance to the Greek flag. The British authorities attempted to counter that by publishing an intercommunal periodical for students and by suspending the Cyprus Scouts Association for its Greek nationalist tendencies. In December 1949,
9856-429: The impasse over Smyrna with the absence of the Italian delegation and, according to Jensen, he "concocted a report that an armed uprising of Turkish guerrillas in the Smyrna area was seriously endangering the Greek and other Christian minorities." Both to protect local Christians and also to limit increasing Italian action in Anatolia, French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau and U.S. President Woodrow Wilson supported
9984-518: The interest of Albania, which permanently annexed the region on 9 November 1920. At the end of World War I (1914–1918), attention of the Allied Powers (Entente Powers) focused on the partition of the territory of the Ottoman Empire . As part of the Treaty of London (1915) , by which Italy left the Triple Alliance (with Germany and Austria-Hungary) and joined France, Great Britain and Russia in
10112-634: The island . The leaders of the takeover would later step down, but the dividing line running through Nicosia (and the rest of the island, interrupted only briefly by British military bases ) became a demilitarised zone that remains under the control of Cyprus while heavily policed by the United Nations ; it is now known as the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus between the Republic of Cyprus, which
10240-579: 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 centre. 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
10368-458: The linguistic minority, known as Griko in Calabria , Apulia and Messina , the modern day Greeks of Italy and in general the inhabitants of the south who call themselves Great-Greeks (MagnoGreci). The largest Facebook page highlighting the specific issues called "Stato Magna Grecia - Due Sicilie", has over 270,000 followers, mainly Italians but also several Greeks and Griko, expressing the need for
10496-530: The local Greek Orthodox church had told its congregation that not to vote for enosis would have meant excommunication from the church. After the referendum, a Greek Cypriot deputation visited Greece, Britain and the United Nations to make its case, and Turkish Cypriots and student and youth organisations in Turkey protested the plebiscite. In the event, neither Britain nor the UN was persuaded to support enosis . In 1951,
10624-515: The location as Leuteon ( Λευτεῶν , Leuteō̂n ) and as Leucon ( Λευκῶν , Leukō̂n ), Leucotheon ( Λευκοθέον , Leukothéon ), Leucoi Theoi ( Λευκοί Θεοί , Leukoí Theoí ), and Leucopolis ( Λευκούπολις , Leukoúpolis ), incorporating forms of the Greek words for "white" ( λευκός , leukós ) or " poplar " ( λεύκη , leúkē ) and for " God " ( Θεός , Theós ), " god " ( θεός , theós ), or " goddess " ( θεᾱ́ , theá ), with possible allusion to
10752-522: The majority of whose inhabitants were Muslims. Thus, the Greek army withdrew from the area, but the Christians of Epirus, denying the international situation, decided, with the secret support of the Greek state, to create an autonomous regime, based in Argyrokastro (Albanian: Gjirokastër ). Given Albania's political instability, the autonomy of Northern Epirus was finally ratified by the Great Powers with
10880-548: The medieval Crusader Lusignan dynasty , around the same time the Cypriot port Limassol replaced its previous initial N with an L for similarly unknown reasons. Hill provides several other examples of interchanging /l/ and /n/ as far back as the Phoenician Cypriots , suggesting the exchange may have arisen from a variable native pronunciation. The name is also preserved as the Armenian Nikosia ( Նիկոսիա ) and
11008-433: The middle of February 1919 Lloyd George shifted the discussion to how Greek administration would work and not whether Greek administration would happen. To further this aim, he brought in a set of experts, including Arnold J. Toynbee , to discuss how the zone of Smyrna would operate and what its impacts would be on the population. Following this discussion, in late February 1919, Venezilos appointed Aristeidis Stergiadis ,
11136-446: The nearby town of Chytri . The main activity of the town inhabitants was farming. During this era, Ledra did not have the huge growth that the other Cypriot coastal towns had, which was primarily based on trade. Some sources record that it was restored and improved by Leucos, son of Ptolemy I Soter of Egypt around 280 BC, although Hill considered this an early modern "fancy" based solely on pseudoetymological speculations. In
11264-405: 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 Archbishop's Palace contains a Byzantine museum containing the largest collection of religious icons on the island. Leventis Municipal Museum is the only historical museum of Nicosia and revives
11392-569: The newly formed (as of 2011 ) Yeri & Tseri . 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
11520-400: 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, Faneromeni Square was
11648-529: The old ways of life in the capital from ancient times up to our days. Other interesting museums include the Folk Art Museum, National Struggle Museum (witnessing the rebellion against the British administration in the 1950s), Cyprus Ethnological Museum (House of Dragoman Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios, 18th century) and the Handicrafts centre. Nicosia also hosts an Armenian archbishopric , a small Buddhist temple,
11776-723: The outbreak of World War I, in October 1914, the Kingdom of Greece recaptured the region. However, the ambiguous attitude of the Central Powers on Greek issues during the Great War, led France and Italy to the joint occupation of Epirus in September 1916. At the end of World War I, however, the Agreement of Tittoni with Venizelos foresaw the annexation of the region to Greece. Eventually, Greece's military involvement with Mustafa Kemal's Turkey worked in
11904-466: The outskirts of the city, a number large and imposing villas have been built that belong to the middle and upper-classes. The Dereboyu Avenue serves as the modern heart of the northern part and is its centre of entertainment. Greater Nicosia is administered by several municipalities. In the centre is the city municipality of Nicosia itself (see below). Other municipalities are Strovolos , Lakatamia , Latsia , Aglandjia , Engomi , Agios Dhometios and
12032-416: The partitioning of the island between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. In 1960, the Republic of Cyprus was born, resulting in neither enosis nor taksim . Around then, Cypriot intercommunal violence occurred in response to the different objectives, and the continuing desire for enosis resulted in the 1974 Cypriot coup d'état in an attempt to achieve it. It, however, prompted Turkey into launching
12160-441: The party split into two factions, the "United Radical Party" and the "Real Radical Party". During the period of British rule, William Ewart Gladstone visited the islands and recommended their reunion with Greece, to the chagrin of the British government. On 29 March 1864, representatives of Great Britain, Greece, France, and Russia signed the Treaty of London , pledging the transfer of sovereignty to Greece upon ratification; this
12288-614: The population resides in the more recently annexed outlying areas of Kaimakli , Pallouriotissa , Omorfita and Ayii Omoloyites . 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. Enosis Enosis ( Greek : Ένωσις , IPA: [ˈenosis] , "union")
12416-404: The presence of British Governor Sir Andrew Wright and Vice Mayor of Nicosia George Poulios. It originally had 94 bedrooms and 150 beds, officially rated as de luxe. All rooms had hot and cold water, central heating and a telephone. Facilities included a conference room, reading room, bridge room, and ballroom with orchestra. There were two restaurants, two bars and a café. Located within the garden
12544-422: The presence of a relatively prosperous and sophisticated Christian society. After the destruction of Cyprus's capital Salamis by Arab raids in 647, along with extensive damage to other coastal settlements, the economy of the island became much more inward-looking and inland towns gained relative significance. Nicosia benefited from this and functioned as an outlet of the agricultural products from its hinterland,
12672-688: The protectorate. On 15 August in 1849, another rebellion broke out, which was quashed by Henry George Ward , who proceeded to temporarily impose martial law . On 26 November 1850, the Radical MP John Detoratos Typaldos proposed in the Ionian parliament the resolution for the enosis of the Ionian Islands with Greece which was signed by Gerasimos Livadas, Nadalis Domeneginis, George Typaldos, Frangiskos Domeneginis, Ilias Zervos Iakovatos, Iosif Momferatos, Telemachus Paizis, Ioannis Typaldos, Aggelos Sigouros-Dessyllas, Christodoulos Tofanis. In 1862,
12800-454: The rainfall occurring in winter. Winter precipitation is occasionally accompanied by sleet but rarely by snow . The accumulation of snow is particularly rare (last events occurred in 1950, 1974, 1997, 2015 and 2022). There is occasionally light frost during the winter nights. On 4 September 2020, Nicosia recorded a temperature of 46.2 °C (115.2 °F), which is the highest temperature to have ever been recorded in Cyprus. Nicosia held
12928-823: The rule of the United Kingdom on 5 July 1878 in consequence of the Cyprus Convention , 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. Adjacent was the Nicosia Police headquarters, while opposite were
13056-467: The rule of the Republic of Venice , Nicosia became their administrative centre 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. 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
13184-503: The secession of Sicily and the whole of Southern Italy, the so-called Mezzogiorno and its enosis with Greece and Cyprus. This page and other pages based in Italy highlight the achievements of ancient Magna Graecia and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies as well as the close relations that the people of Southern Italy have with Greece. According to the administrators, the unification of Italy, in which Garibaldi 's campaign in Sicily in 1860 played
13312-671: The signing of the Protocol of Corfu on May 17, 1914. The agreement did recognize the special status of the Epirotes and their right to self-determination. under the legal authority of Albania. However, the agreement never materialized, as the Albanian government collapsed in August, and Prince William of Wied , who was appointed leader of the country in February, returned to Germany in September. Shortly after
13440-629: The south, where the Archbishopric of the Orthodox Church was built. Other ethnic minority groups such as the Armenians and Latins came to be settled near the western entry into the city at Paphos Gate. 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
13568-406: The time. Each general being posted to a quarter, that quarter (with two exceptions) was known by his name as follows: 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. Nicosia came under
13696-702: The treaties signed during the Peace of Paris (1815) , Britain obtained a protectorate over the Ionian Islands, and under Article VIII of the treaty the Austrian Empire was granted the same trading privileges with the Islands as Britain. As agreed in Article IV of the treaty a "New Constitutional Charter for the State" was drawn up and was formalised with the ratification of the " Maitland constitution " on 26 August 1817, which created
13824-463: The treatment of his sister and his future bride, Richard invaded. 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 Kingdom of Cyprus , the seat of Lusignan kings,
13952-410: The unenviable position of being the capital city with the least green spaces in Europe, with only three percent of the city covered with trees. 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
14080-590: The union of Cyprus with Greece, and numerous minor uprisings took place. Cyprus was at that time part of the Ottoman Empire. At the 1878 Congress of Berlin the administration of Cyprus was transferred to Britain, and upon Garnet Wolseley 's arrival as the first high-commissioner in July the Archbishop of Kition requested that Britain transfer the administration of Cyprus to Greece. Britain annexed Cyprus in 1914. The death of Limassol– Paphos MP Christodoulos Sozos during
14208-509: The zone of Smyrna. The British were at loggerheads over the issue with the War Office and India Office promoting the territorial integrity idea and Prime Minister David Lloyd George and the Foreign Office , headed by Lord Curzon , opposed to this suggestion and wanting Smyrna to be under separate administration. The Italian position was that Smyrna was rightfully their possession and so
14336-421: Was an attempted coup d'état led by the Greek military junta to unite the island with Greece . The coup ousted president Makarios III and replaced him with pro- enosis nationalist Nikos Sampson . On 20 July 1974, the coup d'état precipitated the invasion of the island by the Turkish army . The operation included two phases. The second phase of the Turkish invasion was performed on 14 August 1974, where
14464-418: Was "desirable" but that independence was "possible". In the early 1970s, the idea of enosis remained attractive to many Greek Cypriots, and Greek Cypriot students condemned Makarios's support for an independent unitary state. In 1971 the pro- enosis paramilitary group EOKA B was formed, and Makarios declared his opposition to the use of violence to achieve enosis . EOKA B began a series of attacks against
14592-561: Was a swimming pool (which was installed in 1964), paddling pool, children's playground and tennis courts. The hotel had two additional floors added in 1967–1968, thus raising its capacity to 200 rooms and 320 beds. During the invasion , the Turkish Military attempted to take the hotel however were unsuccessful. Following the announcement of the truce it fell within the boundaries of the UN Buffer Zone and from 1974 to 2019 served as
14720-687: Was brought from the ancient city of Salamis by the Venetians in 1550. 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. 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. Nearby Büyük Han ,
14848-433: 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
14976-509: Was declared in 1960. During the period of the struggle, Nicosia was the scene of violent protests against British rule. In 1960, Nicosia became the capital of the Republic of Cyprus , a state established by the Greek and Turkish Cypriots. In 1963, the Greek Cypriot side proposed amendments to the constitution, which were rejected by the Turkish Cypriot community. During the aftermath of this crisis, on 21 December 1963, intercommunal violence broke out between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Nicosia
15104-419: Was divided among several of the existing intramural neighborhoods. In 1938 the boundary was extended to the present limits in the west and to the boundaries of Ayii Omoloyites, Palouriotissa, Kaimakli and Omorfita. 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. Nicosia International Airport
15232-487: Was divided into Greek and Turkish Cypriot quarters with the Green Line , named after the color of the pen used by the United Nations officer to draw the line on a map of the city. This resulted in Turkish Cypriots withdrawing from the government, and following more intercommunal violence in 1964, a number of Turkish Cypriots moved to the Turkish quarter of Nicosia, causing serious overcrowding. On 15 July 1974, there
15360-458: Was formally ended with an Armistice and a final treaty on 24 July 1923 with the Treaty of Lausanne. Much of the Greek population was included in the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey resulting in migration to Greece and elsewhere. Under the Treaty between Great Britain and [Austria, Prussia and] Russia, respecting the Ionian Islands ( signed in Paris on 5 November 1815 ), as one of
15488-442: Was given official status in the 1920 Treaty of Sèvres , with Greece being awarded most of Eastern Thrace and a mandate to govern Smyrna and its hinterland. Smyrna was declared a protectorate in 1922, but the attempted enosis failed since the new Turkish Republic prevailed in the resulting Greco-Turkish War of 1919–1922 , when most Anatolian Christians who had not already fled during the war were forced to relocate to Greece in
15616-471: Was meant to bolster the reign of the newly installed King George I of Greece . Thus, on 28 May, by proclamation of the Lord High Commissioner, the Ionian Islands were united with Greece. Since the beginning of the 2010s, an online social movement has been launched to awaken the Greek consciousness of the inhabitants of Southern Italy and also to express an opinion that highlights the desire of
15744-477: Was opened in 1947. It remained the location for the Air Station until its abandonment in 1974. In 1955 an armed struggle against British rule began aiming to unite the island with Greece, Enosis . The struggle was led by EOKA, a Greek Cypriot nationalist military resistance organization, and supported by the vast majority of Greek Cypriots. The unification with Greece failed and instead the independence of Cyprus
15872-522: Was placed in the Hellenic Parliament . Britain offered to cede the island to Greece in 1915 in return for Greece joining the allies in World War I , but the offer was refused. Turkey relinquished all claims to Cyprus in 1923 with the Treaty of Lausanne , and the island became a British Crown colony in 1925. In 1929, a Greek Cypriot delegation was sent to London to request enosis but received
16000-477: Was politically unfeasible because of the strong minority of Turkish Cypriots and their increasing assertiveness. Instead, the creation of an independent state with elaborate powersharing arrangements among both communities was agreed upon in 1960, and the fragile Republic of Cyprus was born. The idea of union with Greece was not immediately abandoned, however. During the campaign for the 1968 presidential elections , Cypriot President Makarios III said that enosis
16128-421: Was quickly destroyed. The Cypriot vassal state transcribed as "Lidir" in a 672 BC Assyrian text is generally identified with the remains which have been found nearer to the modern city. Its ruler Onasagoras was recorded paying tribute to the Assyrian king Esarhaddon . By 330 BC, Ledra was recorded to be a small unimportant town. It is thought that the settlement was economically and politically dependent on
16256-464: 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. When the newly settled Turkish population arrived they generally lived in the north of the old riverbed. Greek Cypriots remained concentrated in
16384-535: Was withdrawn from Bulgaria under the terms of the 1919 Treaty of Neuilly and temporarily managed by the Allies before being it was given to Greece at the San Remo Conference in 1920. After World War I, Greece began the Occupation of Smyrna and of surrounding areas of Western Anatolia in 1919 at the invitation of the victorious Allies , particularly British Prime Minister David Lloyd George . The occupation
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