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Background to Nicosia with a short history of the still divided city including access to hotels and accommodation details in Nicosia, Cyprus. Hotels like the Hilton Cyprus, and the Hilton Park Nicosia.
The capital of Cyprus, has one unfortunate distinction - it is now Europe's only militarily divided city.
It is also a constant reminder of the tragedy and injustice which Cyprus suffered in 1974. In the summer of that
year Turkish troops, using the pretext of a coup orchestrated by the Greek junta against the Cyprus Government,
invaded and occupied over a third of the island. Despite the efforts of the United Nations and repeated condemnation
by the international community, that occupation continues to this day.
Downtown Nicosia
Nowhere is this injustice more painfully apparent, even to the casual observer, than in this city of Nicosia. The cease-fire
line which marked the southernmost point of the Turkish advance in 1974, and which today scars the island from
East to West with armed fortifications, runs straight through the capital and divides Greek Cypriot from Turkish
Cypriot. In the old city in particular, the line - the Green Line as it is popularly known - meanders through a
maze of old streets.
Armed Turkish soldiers patrol along the dividing line which surrounds the old city, only
yards from Greek Cypriots going about their everyday lives - a chilling reminder of that fateful summer
twenty-two years ago. At the end of Nicosia shopping streets stand sentry posts, sandbags, oildrums and rusted barbed
wire often separating Greek Cypriot National Guardsmen from Turkish troops only by a few metres. Observing this
uneasy peace are the soldiers of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), who control a buffer
zone.
The island's strategic position on the great trade routes, linking Europe to Asia and the Middle East, made it
inevitable that Cyprus - and its capital Nicosia would come under external domination. The list of conquerors and regional
powers who have controlled the island at various times is endless. Phoenicians, Assyrians, Persians, Egyptians,
Romans, Arabs, the Frankish Lusignan dynasty, Venetians and Ottoman Turks all held sway over Cyprus before the
inception of British colonial rule in the 19th century. These various powers have all left their mark on Cyprus.
Hilton Cyprus - The Hilton Cyprus is a 5 star luxury hotel with 298 rooms, accommodation detailed with other facilities and external links to prices and booking arrangements for the Hilton Cyprus hotel, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Hilton Park - Hilton Park Nicosia has a description of the hotel with facilities, accommodation and access to booking arrangements for the Hilton Park Nicosia, Cyprus.
Holiday Inn City Centre - The Holiday Inn Nicosia City Centre page has details of their accommodation, facilities and their business center with access to online bookings for this Holiday Inn Nicosia City Centre hotel, Cyprus.
Cleopatra Hotel - Cleopatra Hotel has information on it's location, facilities and accommodation with access to other online details of the surrounding area and prices for the Cleopatra Hotel, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Forum Hotel - Forum Hotel Nicosia contains details of their accommodation, guest facilities and access to online price and booking arrangements for the Forum Hotel Nicosia.
The Classic Hotel - The Classic Hotel is an affordable 3 star hotel with accommodation and other facilities shown including access to online prices and bookings for the Classic Hotel, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Castelli - The Castelli hotel page has details of their address, accommodation and facilities at this 3 star Castelli hotel with access to online prices and booking arrangements.
The most relevant links we could find, placed here free
Monument to Liberty
The most significant influences upon modern Nicosia date from the 15th and 16th centuries. Under the Lusignans,
the capital saw the erection of a number of palaces, mansions, churches and monasteries. Unfortunately, however,
few survive, since the Lusignans' successors, the Venetians, destroyed most of this architecture. Faced with the
imminent prospect of invasion by the Ottoman Turks, the Venetians' military planners decided to withdraw from the
Lusignan military fortifications and create a new, more compact, defensive line around the city.
The buildings in Nicosia
standing outside of this new line, including most of the inheritance from the Lusignan period, were torn down and
used to underpin the vast earthwork of a new defensive wall. Impressive as Nicosia's defences were, however, they
were unable to keep out the Ottoman invader. After seven weeks of desperate resistance, Nicosia fell in 1570 and
a period of Ottoman rule, lasting until the arrival of the British in 1878, followed.
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Site written by Steve Dickson