The town of Famagusta is one of the finest examples of architecture medieaval in the Mediterranean Eastern one and, in its current state of the conservation, is equal to that of the old towns of Carcassone or Raguse. A full day spent in Famagusta will indicate the history of Cyprus in a word. Much Cyprus is an external museum, but here only so much historical interest concentrate, which is a place of exposure for all the tourists.
Most of the history of very obscure the east city that there are no written recording and our only source of the materialis of the accounts of the travellers of the traders passing through. Some historians declare that it was rested by King Ptolemy Philadelphus of Egypt in 285 B.C. ** time-out ** per year 1300 A.D. city a principal Mediterranean Eastern market, rich rendezvous negotiating and sits much of religious Christian controls like indicating by many various church denomination still to see in city today. It was the period of Crusades and when the family of rich person Lusignan reigned Cyprus, and consequently period 1200 to 1498 in the history of Cyprus is called the dynasty of Lusignan. Famagusta was protected by the ramparts which encircle the city and the castle of citadel keeping the port, the best in Cyprus. This citadel or turn of Othello is the first principal center of the attention for visitors.
Period 1300 to 1400 is known because the golden age of Famagusta and was regarded as such while visiting the traders, who reported tales of the fabulous richness in the various places. After 1400, rival factions of Genoese and Venetian traders arranged there. Genoese caused many disagreements until finally Venetians took the ordering of all Cyprus and transferred the capital starting from Nicosia to Famagusta in 1489. Venetians were with the commands during 82 years and it was of Famagusta that all the island was governed.
The invention of the powder and the use of the gun made necessary for Venetians to transform whole defenses for the use of artillery, the new type of war. The square towers medieaval were replaced by the rounds and all along the walls and of the many port-holes of gun of citadels were inserted.
The Turkish armada arrived apart from the city in 1570 and put it under the seat during one year. 1571 not only Famagusta, but in all Cyprus was according to the Turkish rule and was thus remained until 1878. The end of the British colonial rule in 1960 led to the intensification of the communal disagreements inter between Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots which concluded in 1974 with the rule from Turkish-Cypriot in Cyprus from north.
The new city of the lies of New-Famagusta (also known under the name of Maras or Varosha) just in the south of the walled old man-city of Famagusta. |
