What is the history of Famagusta?

What is the history of Famagusta?

Famagusta rose to prominence between the 12th and 15th centuries, most notably as the city where the Crusader kings of Jerusalem were crowned. Now ancient Famagusta, tucked into a modern city of 35,000 people, also called Famagusta, is largely forgotten, except, perhaps, as the setting for Shakespeare’s Othello.

What is Famagusta famous for?

Famagusta is an important commercial hub of Northern Cyprus. The main economic activities in the city are tourism, education, construction and industrial production. It has a 115-acre free port, which is the most important seaport of Northern Cyprus for travel and commerce.

Why Famagusta is a ghost town?

Its Greek Cypriot inhabitants fled during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, when the city of Famagusta came under Turkish control, and it has remained abandoned ever since.

Who built Famagusta?

The walls were built by the Lusignan Kingdom of Cyprus in the 14th century, and redesigned by Republic of Venice in 15th and 16th centuries before the siege of Ottoman Empire in 1571. The fortifications of Famagusta withstood an 11-month siege before the city capitulated to the Ottoman Empire in August 1571.

Who owns Famagusta?

Its population is almost entirely Muslim and belongs to the Turkish ethnic group. During the invasion of 1974, Famagusta was bombed by Turkish aircraft. As a result of the airstrikes, dozens of civilians died, including tourists. It took two days for the Turkish Army to occupy the city.

Why is Famagusta empty?

Varosha, in Famagusta, has been unoccupied since the 1974 conflict between Greek and Turkish Cypriots left it in an inaccessible military zone. The move prompted backlash from the Greek Cypriots in the south of the island, who view it as an indirect land grab.

Why is Famagusta still empty?

Why are you not allowed into Famagusta?

The Greek Cypriots who had fled from Varosha could not return. The evolution of the city stalled, and it became a depopulated ghost town. Currently, military forces are stationed here, and no one is allowed to enter its territory, nor Greeks or Turks, or any other civilians.

Who controls Famagusta?

Why visit the island of Famagusta?

Famagusta, situated on the south east coast of Northern Cyprus, is a place where you can really feel the magic of Cyprus’ colourful past; so much so that when you visit you feel as if you can almost reach out and touch the island’s rich history.

Is Famagusta Greek or Turkish?

Famagusta, Greek Ammókhostos, Turkish Gazi Mağusa, a major port in the Turkish Cypriot-administered portion of northern Cyprus. It lies on the island’s east coast in a bay between Capes Greco and Eloea and is about 37 miles (55 km) east of Nicosia.

Is Famagusta the main port in Northern Cyprus?

However, it still is the primary port for commerce in Northern Cyprus, with more than half of ships that came to Northern Cyprus in 2013 coming to Famagusta. It is the second most popular seaport for passengers, after Kyrenia, with around 20,000 passengers using the port in 2013.

What was the population of Famagusta in 1974?

The majority of the city population were Greek Cypriots (26,500), with 8,500 Turkish Cypriots and 4,000 people from other ethnic groups. During the second phase of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus on 14 August 1974 the Mesaoria plain was overrun by Turkish tanks and Famagusta was bombed by Turkish aircraft.