Information North Cyprus Historical Places Famagusta
The Lusignan city walls, surrounding Famagusta until 1489, in spite of being high, they were thin. Later on Venetians, seizing Cyprus, in order to take precautions against the Ottomans and strengthen the city walls against the firearms, in 1550 engineer Giovanni Girolamo Sanmichele and captain Nikolaou Foskanini were brought from Venice to overhaul. The Martinengo Citadel, Land Gate and especially the city walls on the direction of the sea were built in this period. Besides, a 46 meter ditch was opened around the city wall that’s outside of the city filled with water. These city walls built up of 3 km long giant cut stones’ height is 18m and at some places width is 9m. On the walls there are towers, gates, platforms, braziers, depots, warehouse and barn. The towers on the city walls are called as: On the city walls there are 13 named towers. The names are;
1. Canbulat (Arsenal),
2. Deniz Kapısı Burcu (Mare),
3. Othello (Castelle),
4. Halkalı Mazgal (Signoria),
5. Karpaz Tabya (Diamante),
6. Şehit Tabya (Mozzo),
7. Tophane (Martinengo),
8. Pulocazaro,
9. Moratto,
10. Diocare,
11. Kara Kapısı (Akkule-Ravelin),
12. Altın Burcu (Santa Napa),
13. Su Burcu (Andurizzi),
14. Halkalı Tabya (Campo Santo)dır.
Also, as an inner castle, there are Othello building and as two original gates Land Gate (Ravelin) and Sea Gate (Porta Del Mare). The city walls ruined at the time of the Ottomans surrounding Famagusta, were also restored by them.
It is in the courtyard of Sinan Pasa Mosque. Yirmisekiz Celebi was a famous Turkish diplomat that lived in the 18th century. His real name was Mehmet Faiz. The nickname “Yirmisekiz Çelebi” (Means twenty eight in English) was given because he was brought up in 28th mid of Janissary Association. He was assigned to the Paris Embassy in 1720 and went back 11 months later. His work named “Paris Sefaretnamesi” had big repercussions. This work also attracted attention in England. After returning from Paris, he was assigned to Egypt. Because his name was involved in Patrona Halil rebellion in those days (1730) he was demoted and exiled to Cyprus. He died in 1732 in Famagusta and was buried to the place where he still is now.
It is on the direction of the city of the vaulted gate where you reach the original Land Gate. The mosque made of cut stones is built for the guards on duty. Because the original door of the mosque vas ruined, it was built one more in the 18th century. On top of the door there is the date 1619 and a verse from the Koran was written on the marble.
It is a huge Ottoman period building on Surlariçi Naim Efendi Street. This bath arouses interest with its domes. The building is made up of six rooms with domes on top; a water depot covered with vault behind the rooms and collapsed sections thought to be undressing room.
Kilis Flag Officer Canbulat is suggested to adhere in the army prepared to conquer Cyprus. Because he has made big effort at the time of the Ottomans conquering Nicosia, in 1570 along with Iskender Pasha and Deniz Pasha, he is given the duty with the Ottoman army for conquering Famagusta.
Because he was thought to have died a martyr in the place where Arsenal Citadel is, his tomb is under this citadel. The building frayed in time, has been restored in 1968 and the front was turned into a museum. Still, in the museum ethnographical and archaeological pieces are exhibited.
The entrance to Famagusta is done with an original city door. It has a beautiful architectural structure and is very good protected. It is built by Nicolo Prioli from Venice in 1496. Iron covered wooden door is from the Turkish, iron fenced door is from the Venetian times. On top of the door there is the Republic of Venice’s emblem marble embroidered lion with wing, Nicolo Prioli’s name and emblem, and the year 1496. It is thought that the marble is brought by Salmis.
Tophane, being one of the best examples of military architecture having a triangular shape, is built between 1550-1559 by a Venetian architect Giovanni Sammichele. There are chimneys used for ventilation of gunpowder smoke in sections of vault, powder barrel on the walls and small rooms used for keeping gunshots in. When Martinengo dies on the way from commanding the Venetian army sent as reinforcement for Cypriot against the Ottoman, he is brought back to Famagusta. Venetians, in the memory of the precious commander, named this citadel after him.
The original name of one of the two main gates of Famagusta is Ravelin meaning “A Citadel Shaped as Half Moon”. The Land Gate is the oldest part of the city walls after Othello Castle. The entrance today from a bridge is new, in old times the entrance was through a gun socket beside the tower. The original gate had a door going up and down on the left side of today’s entrance. There is a gate with a vault on the city direction. On both sides of the gate there are fresco on the wall, emblems and a small church. As a result of the excavation gates, gun sockets, interesting sections and galleries were found. On the direction of the gate facing the city, there are rooms underground used as dungeons.
The Lusignan city walls, surrounding Famagusta until 1489, in spite of being high, they were thin. Later on Venetians, seizing Cyprus, in order to take precautions against the Ottomans and strengthen the city walls against the firearms, in 1550 engineer Giovanni Girolamo Sanmichele and captain Nikolaou Foskanini were brought from Venice to overhaul. The Martinengo Citadel, Land Gate and especially the city walls on the direction of the sea were built in this period. Besides, a 46 meter ditch was opened around the city wall that’s outside of the city filled with water. These city walls built up of 3 km long giant cut stones’ height is 18m and at some places width is 9m. On the walls there are towers, gates, platforms, braziers, depots, warehouse and barn. The towers on the city walls are called as: On the city walls there are 13 named towers. The names are;
1. Canbulat (Arsenal),
2. Deniz Kapısı Burcu (Mare),
3. Othello (Castelle),
4. Halkalı Mazgal (Signoria),
5. Karpaz Tabya (Diamante),
6. Şehit Tabya (Mozzo),
7. Tophane (Martinengo),
8. Pulocazaro,
9. Moratto,
10. Diocare,
11. Kara Kapısı (Akkule-Ravelin),
12. Altın Burcu (Santa Napa),
13. Su Burcu (Andurizzi),
14. Halkalı Tabya (Campo Santo)dır.
Also, as an inner castle, there are Othello building and as two original gates Land Gate (Ravelin) and Sea Gate (Porta Del Mare). The city walls ruined at the time of the Ottomans surrounding Famagusta, were also restored by them.
From the churches built in the 14th century, the bigger one belonged to the Templar chevaliers. When Templar chivalry was abolished by the Pope in 1313, the church was left to the Hospitable chivalry that had the building next to the church. Today it is restored and used as Cyprus Art Association.