Lefkoşa | ||
State | Northern Cyprus | |
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Inhabitants | 84.893 | |
POSTAL CODE | 96401 | |
Position
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Institutional website | ||
Lefkoşa is the capital of the republic of Northern Cyprus.
To know
How to orient yourself
How to get
How to get around
What see
- Suleymaniye Mosque. Today's Suleiman mosque was once the Catholic cathedral of Nicosia, of which it still retains the Gothic forms. Its construction, begun in 1209 under the reign of Henry I of the Lusignano family, was completed in 1360. The coronation ceremony of the princes of Lusignano took place inside. In the Ottoman era the paintings were erased and a couple of minarets were added
- Bedesten (Bedestan). Next to the Suleiman mosque is the covered market which occupies the spaces of the Orthodox cathedral of the Lusignano era. It is preceded by a 14th or earlier Gothic church. The church was probably part of a monastery.
- Büyük Khan. A caravanserai made up of two buildings: a smaller one and now in ruins bears the name of the Gamers' Hotel (Koumarjilar Khan in Turkish) is located on Piazza Asmaalti and most likely dates back to the end of the 17th century. The other, much larger and in good condition, is called Büyük (Great) and is located a hundred meters further south. It consists of a courtyard surrounded by a loggia on the ground floor of which pack animals were placed while on the upper floor were the accommodation of travelers, mostly merchants who traveled in groups. There are 56 rooms in all and some have a fireplace. In the center of the courtyard is a fountain and a small mosque. It currently houses the offices of the antiquities department but plans to turn it into a shopping center where handicrafts will be placed on sale for the delight of tourists.
Events and parties
What to do
Shopping
How to have fun
Where to eat
Where stay
Average prices
- Royal Hotel, 19 Kemal Asik St, ☎ 90 392 2287621 3011.
- Saray Hotel, Ataturk Meydani, ☎ 90 392 2283115 - 002, fax: 90 392 2284808.