Living in Northern Cyprus Pool

Venetian town walls at Famagusta

nobody@flickr.com (tedesco57) — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 07:17:15 -0800

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Famagusta,[a] also known by several other names, is a city on the east coast of the areas in the state of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. It is located east of the capital, Nicosia, and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. During the Middle Ages (especially under the maritime republics of Genoa and Venice), Famagusta was the island's most important port city and a gateway to trade with the ports of the Levant, from where the Silk Road merchants carried their goods to Western Europe. The old walled city and parts of the modern city are de facto part of Northern Cyprus as the capital of the Gazimağusa District.

Names
The city was known as Arsinoe or Arsinoë (Greek: Ἀρσινόη, Arsinóē) in antiquity,[5] after Ptolemy II of Egypt's sister and wife Arsinoe II.

By the 3rd century, the city appears as Ammochostos (Greek: Ἀμμόχωστος or Αμμόχωστος, Ammókhōstos, "Hidden in Sand") in the Stadiasmus Maris Magni.[6] This name is still used in modern Greek with the pronunciation [aˈmːoxostos], while it developed into Latin Fama Augusta, French Famagouste, Italian Famagosta, and English Famagusta during the medieval period. Its informal modern Turkish name Mağusa (Turkish pronunciation: [maˈusa]) came from the same source. Since 1974, it has formally been known to Turkey and Northern Cyprus as Gazimağusa ([ɡaːzimaˈusa]), from the addition of the title gazi, meaning "veteran" or "one who fought in a holy war".

In the early medieval period, the city was also known as New Justiniana (Greek: Νέα Ἰουστινιανία, Néa Ioustinianía) in appreciation for the patronage of the Byzantine emperor Justinian, whose wife Theodora was born there.

The old town of Famagusta has also been nicknamed "the City of 365 Churches"[citation needed][clarification needed] from the legend that, at its peak, it boasted a church for every day of the year.

History
The city was founded around 274 BC, after the serious damage to Salamis by an earthquake, by Ptolemy II Philadelphus and named "Arsinoe" after his sister.[7] Arsinoe was described as a "fishing town" by Strabo in his Geographica in the first century BC. In essence, Famagusta was the successor of the most famous and most important ancient city of Cyprus, Salamis. According to Greek mythology, Salamis was founded after the end of the Trojan War by Teucros, the son of Telamon and brother of Aedes, from the Greek island of Salamis.

Byzantine Empire
The city experienced great prosperity much later, during the time of the Byzantine emperor Justinian. To honor the city, from which his wife Theodora came, Justinian enriched it with many buildings, while the inhabitants named it New Justiniania to express their gratitude. In AD 647, when the neighboring cities were destroyed by Arab raiding, the inhabitants of these cities moved to Famagusta, as a result of which the city's population increased significantly and the city experienced another boom.

Arab conquest
Later, when Jerusalem was occupied by the Arabs, the Christian population fled to Famagusta, as a result of which the city became an important Christian center, but also one of the most important commercial centers in the eastern Mediterranean.

In 1372 the port was seized by Genoa and in 1489 by Venice. This commercial activity turned Famagusta into a place where merchants and ship owners led lives of luxury. By the mid-14th century, Famagusta was said to have the richest citizens in the world.[8] The belief that people's wealth could be measured by the churches they built inspired these merchants to have churches built in varying styles. These churches, which still exist, were the reason Famagusta came to be known as "the district of churches". The development of the town focused on the social lives of the wealthy people and was centred upon the Lusignan palace, the cathedral, the Square and the harbour.
Wikipedia

Approacing no-mans land and the buildings destroyed in the 1974 war at Famagusta

nobody@flickr.com (tedesco57) — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 07:17:12 -0800

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The pool. Lapida Garden Hotel, Lepta, N Cyprus

nobody@flickr.com (tedesco57) — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 04:54:48 -0800

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Lapida Garden Hotel, Lepta, N Cyprus

nobody@flickr.com (tedesco57) — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 04:54:47 -0800

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Venetian town walls at Famagusta

nobody@flickr.com (tedesco57) — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 07:17:14 -0800

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St. Mama's, patron saints of 'tax avoiders'. (Patron der Steuer vermeider) Riding a lion and holding the lamb he saved from the lion's paws....

nobody@flickr.com (tedesco57) — Sun, 19 Feb 2017 07:25:32 -0800

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The church in the monastery was originally a Byzantine building, built on the site of an Aphrodite temple. It has been reconstructed at various times over the centuries, with most of the buildings dating to the 18th century when the large central dome was added. However, the side portals and columns of the nave survive from an earlier Gothic church built by the Lusignans.

St Mamas on his lion at St Mamas monastery, Guzelyurt, North Cyprus
St mamas on His Lion
It is said that Mamas was a Christian saint from Anatolia who was killed on religious grounds. His family, aided by Jesus Christ, placed Mamas in a coffin and buried him at sea. The coffin, swept away by the tide, made its way to the Gulf of Morphou (now Guzelyurt), where it was found by a humble man who lived in the area. The man returned to his house and gathered two oxen and called for his four sons to accompany him to the place where the coffin had landed. Tying a rope to it, they tried to pull the coffin away. However, the man, realising the coffin was heavier than he had initially thought, called for help. The coffin was eventually taken with great difficulty and effort, and when the coffin could be carried no further, a church was built round it.

Another legend has Mamas as a 12th century saint who lived in a cave near Guzelyurt. the Byzantine duke of the time demanded taxes from the local population. Mamas refused to pay the taxes as he lived in a cave. The Duke commanded two of his soldiers to arrest Mamas and bring him to Lefkosa. As the soldiers brought Mamas to the city to be punished, their paths were crossed by an aggressive lion which was ready to pounce on and tear apart a lamb. Mamas, witnessed by the terrified soldiers, saved the lamb from the lion's paws and continued the rest of the journey, entering the city on the back of the lion, carrying the lamb in his arms. On seeing this sight, the Byzantine authorities were so impressed that they decided to exempt him from paying taxes for the rest of his life. Since then, St mamas has been the patron saint of tax avoiders.

The tomb of St Mamas at the monastery, Guzelyurt, North Cyprus
The tomb of St Mamas

St. Mama's Church and Ikon museum

nobody@flickr.com (tedesco57) — Sun, 19 Feb 2017 07:25:06 -0800

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Roman Amphitheatre, ancient Soli

nobody@flickr.com (tedesco57) — Sun, 19 Feb 2017 07:20:57 -0800

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www.whatson-northcyprus.com/interest/lefke/soli.htm

The Ruins of Soli
Near Lefke, North Cyprus

Soli is an ancient settlement, one of the ten ancient kingdoms of Cyprus, and is located in the north-western part of the island, just outside the village of Gemikonagi, on the coast near Lefke. Its history can be dated back to the 11th century BC. It was probably established here because of a good water supply, fertile soil, an abundance of copper deposits, and a protected harbour.

The city we can see today, was built around the 6th century BC, and is thought to have been named after the Greek philosopher, Solon. Soli was one of the most important capitals of Cyprus because of its port facilities and fertile soil.

St Hilarion castle 700m high above Girne [Kyrenia]

nobody@flickr.com (tedesco57) — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 04:21:29 -0800

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The Saint Hilarion Castle lies on the Kyrenia mountain range, in Cyprus. This location provided the castle with command of the pass road from Kyrenia to Nicosia. It is the best preserved ruin of the three former strongholds in the Kyrenia mountains, the other two being Kantara and Buffavento.

History
The castle is not named after St. Hilarion, active in Palestine and Cyprus in the 4th century. It was named after an obscure saint, who is traditionally held to have fled to Cyprus after the Arab conquest of the Holy Land and retired to the hilltop on which the castle was built for hermitage. An English traveller reported the preservation of his relics in the 14th century.[1] It has been proposed that a monastery built in his name preceded the castle, which was built around it. However, this view is not supported by any substantial evidence.[2]

Starting in the 11th century, the Byzantines began fortification. Saint Hilarion, together with the castles of Buffavento and Kantara, formed the defense of the island against Arab raids against the coast. Some sections were further upgraded under the Lusignan dynasty, whose kings may have used it as a summer residence. During the rule of Lusignans, the castle was the focus of a four-year struggle between Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and Regent John d' Ibelin for control of Cyprus.

Much of the castle was dismantled by the Venetians in the 15th century to reduce the cost of garrisons.

Architecture

View of the Queen's window (Queen Elanor) in the upper ward.
The castle has three divisions or wards. The lower and middle wards served economic purposes, while the upper ward housed the royal family. The lower ward had the stables and the living quarters for the men-at-arms. The Prince John tower sits on a cliff high above the lower castle.

The upper ward was surrounded by a 1.4 metre-thick Byzantine wall, made of rough masonry. The entrance is through a pointed arch built by the Lusignans. This was protected by a semicircular tower to the east. Within the ward is a courtyard, with twin peaks being situated to either side of it. To the north-east is an extremely ruined kitchen. To the west are the royal apartments, dated by various sources to the 13th or 14th centuries. Although mostly ruined today, this was a structure in the northeast-southwest axis, with a length of 25 m and width of 6 m. It has a basement containing a cistern and two floors. The ground floor has a height of 7 m and a pointed barrel vault. The upper floor is known for its carved windows, one of which is dubbed the Queen's Window.[4][1] These are placed on the western wall, which has a scenic view of the northern coast of Cyprus, especially the plains of Lapithos. Wikipedia

St Hilarion castle 700m high above Girne [Kyrenia]

nobody@flickr.com (tedesco57) — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 04:21:30 -0800

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View from St Hilarion castle 700m high above Girne [Kyrenia]

nobody@flickr.com (tedesco57) — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 04:21:26 -0800

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St Hilarion castle 700m high above Girne [Kyrenia]

nobody@flickr.com (tedesco57) — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 04:21:20 -0800

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Kyrenia Castle viewed from St Hilarion castle 700m high above Girne [Kyrenia]

nobody@flickr.com (tedesco57) — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 04:21:17 -0800

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Cyprus: Fishing in Salamis Bay

nobody@flickr.com (delic.photography) — Sat, 25 Sep 2021 13:27:35 -0700

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Salamis Bay Beach, Mağusa/Famagusta, Cyprus. 10-4-2011.

All rights reserved - Copyright © delic.photography

All images are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without the written permission of the photographer.

Church of St Barnabas, St. Barnabas monastry

nobody@flickr.com (tedesco57) — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 07:19:20 -0800

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Church of St Barnabas, St. Barnabas monastry

nobody@flickr.com (tedesco57) — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 07:19:20 -0800

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cul-de-sac

nobody@flickr.com (Metin Colak) — Sat, 03 Aug 2019 14:34:37 -0700

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Leica M240+ Noctilux-M 1:1/50 v2 @1

Melting into Being

nobody@flickr.com (Metin Colak) — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 12:14:41 -0800

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Leica M240+Summilux-M 75mm, @1.4

Suffering

nobody@flickr.com (Metin Colak) — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 13:11:28 -0800

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Leica M240+Elmarit-M 1:2.8/90, @2.8

Life

nobody@flickr.com (Metin Colak) — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 01:35:57 -0800

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Leica M240+Noctilux-M 1:1/50, @f1