Cyprus my island

Sourpmagar Monastery

The Sourpmagar Monastery was founded around 1000 AD. It is also known as the Monastery of Mary and was dedicated to Alexandrian saint Makarios, it was used by Armenian pilgrims and it reflects their living as well as shows their writings on its walls. For a very long time, the monastery was used as a resting place by pilgrims as a school for orphans.

All that remains now are ruins of the beautiful monastery. However, the ruins reflect a great deal about the past glory of this place. Nowadays the ruins are used as a picnic spot where people come to enjoy some peaceful time with their family and friends. It is located on a mountain that provides a beautiful view over the surrounding area. The Sourpmagar Monastery is a reflection of the rich history of Northern Cyprus and is found near Kyrenia.

Harbour

The Old Harbour or the Kyrenia Harbour is a beautiful place, with the vast sea stretching on one side and the beautiful mountains on the other side the historic Kyrenia Castle. The harbour has a rich history, which is revealed by a stroll to the surrounding area, the sea and the mountains make the harbour a cool place to relax and is the perfect escape from the summer sun.

The eateries along the harbour make it a good place to spend time with family and friends as well, you can simply relax near the waters and enjoy the beauty. The cafes and the market around the harbour are a delight, in the Old Harbour area, one can see a lot of visitors’ as well as local people, all these things make it a perfect place to spend a quiet and relaxed afternoon.

Karmi Necropolis
Karmi Necropolis is located outside the Karmi village in Northern Cyprus, it has a number of chamber tombs that date back to 1900-1625BC. Numerous tombs have been cleared in the area. During the excavations, the archaeologists found a human figure relief that is the oldest in Cyprus from which it is believed that it represents the goddess of fertility.
One of the tombs has objects from the Minoan civilization in Crete and also some belonging to Egypt. This highlights the trading link between the two countries. These were probably the gifts of the dead person and so, were buried with him at the time of his death.

St. Hilarion Castle

St. Hilarion Castle is located in northern Cyprus. This castle was among the various castles in Kyrenia that were built as a means of defence against the Arab attacks in the seventeenth century. It has faced a lot of invasions not only by the Arabs, but also by the Venetians, the Ottomans and the Byzantine. The castle is said to be named after a saint who had come to seek refuge from the Arab attacks. He was a hermit and monk who lived and died in the castle.
The castle gives a beautiful view of the town of Kyrenia. It was originally a monastery and at present it has three wards, which were earlier used for various purposes. The lower ward was used by the men of arms and stables, the middleone by the church and the upper ward was for the royalty.
Venetians dismantled a large portion of the castle to reduce their costs.

Kyrenia Castle
The historic Kyrenia Castle is situated in the North East of Kyrenia, the exact year of construction of the castle is not known but it is said to have been built around VII AD. The major portion of the castle was built by King John d’Ibelin - it was constructed as a means of defence against the Arab attacks, the major part of the castle was built later, during the Lusignan reign.

When it was seized by the Venetians, they made further additions and changes to it's architectural design, that's why the castle's architecture shows a strong influence of Lusignan as well as Venetian design. Kyrenia was taken over by Admiral Sadik Pasha in 1570, the corridor at the entrance of this castle still houses Admiral Sadik Pasha’s tomb, in the 1960s, the Greek National Guards too used the castle as their military headquarters.

The Round Tower

The Round Tower was built in Kyrenia by the Lusignans somewhere around the year 1300. Recycled Roman stones where used for the constraction of the tower. This round tower is the best preserved building in the area, further construction and changes were made to it in order to convert it into an art gallery, currently, the Round Tower, also known at the Lusignans Round Tower and is used as an art gallery that displays local handicraft work.

Bellapais Monastery
Bellapais Monastery is a beautiful example of Gothic architecture and is located in the Five Finger Mountains of Kyrenia, it has a rich historical past, the construction of the monastery started in 1198 and ended in 1205, further sections were added in 1267 and then again after 1324, the Gothic art of the monastery is amazing, you can also visit the refectory to have a look at the art.

In the courtyard there are marble tombs. The doors behind these tombs have the insignias of Lusignan, Jerusalem and the Cyprus Kingdoms. On the east of the courtyard, there are the priests’ rooms, dormitories and chambers. The Bellapais Monastery is also known as the Monastery of Peace, this is because it's name is taken from 'Abbaye de la paix', which means Peace Monastery in French. It is also famous as one of the Gothic architectural treasures of Europe, the trip to Kyrenia is incomplete without a visit to the beautiful Bellapais Monastery.

Hazreti Omer Tomb

The Hazreti Omer Tomb is a tomb as well as a mosque that is situated four kilometres east of Kyrenia. Within the tomb are the remains of Hazreti Omer and his men. Hazreti Omer was a commander in the seventeenth century. He and his men died while defending Cyprus from the Arabs, the Hazreti Omer Tomb is a white washed building and stands out from a distance among the rocky mountains.

After its renovation in 1950, the tomb is in much better shape. Beautiful tapestries hang all around and it give it a beautiful view of the Mediterranean Sea, the area where the Hazreti Omer Tomb is located has the remains of seven other Muslim saints as well. It is also said that the place was initially a Pagan shrine, this place has a fascinating view of the Northern Cyprus Coastline and the beautiful deep sea.

Buffavento Castle

Buffavento Castle is one of the three castles that were built against the Arabs attacks. Its name, 'Buffavento' is taken from the phrase 'buffeted by the wind', this castle may not be as maintained as the other two castles but it's definitely worth visiting, located on a hill top, a distant view of the castle gives an impression of a difficult climb.

The narrow pathway going to the castle is a very difficult walk but on the way to the top, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the surroundings, as you climb higher and higher, the view becomes all the more beautiful. The castle is an interesting place to visit, especially for those who are adventurous, the ruins of the castle provide plenty of area to explore, those who are planning to visit the castle, should make sure that they are armed with water bottles and comfortable footwear, this will make the climb all the more enjoyable.

Anthipanitis Church

The Anthipanitis Church is a favourite among tourists for its beautiful and distinct Gothic architecture. The buildings architecture is amazing – especially the beautiful wall paintings of Jesus and Mary. This depict John the Baptist, Jesus among angels, prophets, apostles and many more, the church is also known as the Church of Antiphonitis and has a rich history, although it depicts a Gothic design, it was actually built by a monk.

Originally the Anthipanitis Church was built in the twelfth century but was further constructed in the fifteenth century, the entrance of the church, especially, is a fifteenth century construction, but the church itself combines frescoes of both the periods. The Anthipanitis Church is located in the beautiful mountains of Kyrenia and gives a mesmerising view over the northern costal area of Cyprus, the Anthipanitis Church is a must see for all those visiting Northern Cyprus.