Nicosia: An Exhibition at the Old Town Hall

Early on Sunday, Nicosia was brimming with people in the morning sunshine. I made my way to the historic old town hall to view an exhibition organised by the Press and Information Office.

At the entrance, there were black and white photographs of monumental buildings surrounding Nicosia and short written explanations describing them- bastions, gates, churches, all encompassing what was once medieval Nicosia.

An informative leaflet gave a detailed account of the period and the exhibition centred on three heroines, whose lives were shattered following the Ottoman conquest of the island in 1570. They were Helena Denores Synglitikou, Lucretia Lasse and Katerina Flangi, all from prominent, well-established families of that time and victims of the Ottoman conquest of Nicosia.

Helena Denores was taken into captivity and after her release, fled to Venice. Lucretia Lasse lived as a slave for twenty years and fled to Venice after she was freed. Katerina Flangi was killed along with other members of her family. According to her father, who later fled to the West, his teenage daughter Katerina, cut her long hair, dressed in men's clothes and fought against the enemy.

The film presenting the three heroines was particularly impressive, bringing to life the struggles of these three women and allowing the viewer to clearly imagine what they went through.

As the leaflet explains, "With the conquest of Cyprus by the Ottomans in 1570-1571, not only did the last bastion of Christianity in the East fall, but it also marked the departure of many Cypriots, those who survived, of course, to Venice and other cities in Italy, as well as to the Venetian-ruled Greek regions. Many of them arrived in Venice and elsewhere penniless and destitute. Some managed not only to get back on their feet but also to become powerful and wealthy through trade or other lucrative activities and to benefit their small homeland, which had become a province of the then vast Ottoman Empire."

The old town hall was a suitable backdrop for this exhibition, which runs until the end of June. In fact, the old town hall itself has a colourful past. Built in 1930, the building originally operated as a family cabaret known as 'Luna Park ' where families gathered for dance shows. 

Outside in the garden is the bust of the mayor Themistokli Dervis, who served as mayor for a total of 27 years. A physician by trade, his dual identity as "doctor-mayor" left a lasting mark on the city. Known for his humour and bluntness, he was regarded as a deeply honest and effective administrator. He operated his private clinic out of his family home on Ippokratous Street, which now houses the Leventis Municipal Museum.

Also on display outside is the "Poet" a massive glass sculpture by the renowned Greek artist Costas Varotsos (1983).

Nicosia: Three Gates, Eleven Bastions

The threat of Ottoman expansion meant that Cyprus was in danger during the Venetian control of the island. In order to tighten control and security, Venice sent the military architect and engineer Giulio Savorgnano to Cyprus to build a new fortification around Nicosia.

Built between 1567 and 1570, the gates and bastions served as critical defence against an imminent Ottoman invasion.

The three gates represent a division of the island's geography. Each gate was named for and directed toward a major regional destination (Kyrenia, Paphos, Famagusta).

Famagusta Gate (Porta Giuliana) is the largest and most imposing of the three original entrances to the old city of Nicosia. It was named Porta Giuliana to honour Savorgnano.

Paphos Gate (Porta San Domenico) is the smallest gate and still retains its original wooden doors. It is named after the nearby Lusignan Abbey of San Domenico, which was destroyed during the wall's construction.

Kyrenia Gate is located in northern Nicosia. It was originally named Porta del Proveditore after the Venetian governor Francesco Barbaro. The Ottomans renamed it "Edirne Gate" and added a second domed guard house for extra security. They also inscribed verses from the Quran on the northern face, praising Allah as the "Opener of Gates" (1821).

To accommodate modern traffic, the British demolished sections of the city wall on either side of the gate, leaving the structure isolated in the middle of the dual carriageway. The inscriptions marked "1931" and "GVRI" (George V Rex et Imperator). The gate is unique for displaying markers from three different empires, Venetian Latin, Ottoman Arabic and British English.

The three gates reflect the Renaissance 'Ideal City' philosophy which valued geometric perfection and balance. 

The eleven bastions are split between the northern and southern parts of divided Nicosia, with one, the Flatro Bastion, split between both sides and is occupied by the United Nations. The number eleven was strategic and symbolic and reflects the eleven administrative districts (or contrade) of Cyprus at the time. They form a pentagonal, heart shape which was a hallmark of Renaissance military architecture. They allowed for overlapping fields of fire to better protect against artillery and cannon fire. They replaced the older, larger Frankish walls that wouldn't be able to be defended. They were named after eleven noble families who sponsored their construction. The Pedieos River was diverted into a new moat.

Nicosia: A Visit to Two Galleries

Pablo Picasso once said, "Art washes away from the soul, the dust of everyday life." Needing a rest from the pace of life of Limassol and a change of scene, I decided to visit Nicosia and delve into the city's cultural scene, namely two galleries: The State Gallery of Contemporary Art in Stasinou Avenue and the A.G Leventis Gallery.

The State Gallery of Contemporary Art is housed in a beautiful neo-classical stone building dating from 1925, which was renovated by the Ministry of Education and Culture. Getting in, requires you to ring a doorbell and inside you are presented with a wealth of Cypriot art. I first came across Costa Averkiou's 'My Mother' (1958), which I wanted to see in person and which reflects a warm and vivid impression of the artist's mother. What stood out for me however, were the works of another artist, Adamantios Diamantis.

The works of Adamantios Diamantis, particularly 'The Three Mothers' (1972) and Women with Outstreched Hands' (1983-84) are pensive and reflective, with a contrast of light and dark but also viewing motherhood as a symbol of continuity and renewal and the hope for the future. In my later visit to the A.G Leventis Gallery, I came across more of Diamantis' work, namely his monumental pieces ' The World of Cyprus,' (1967-1972), 'Agonies Before and After' (1977) and 'When the World of Cyprus First Heard the Bad News' (1975). In these later works, he focuses on a nation's turmoil, often in a dark and pessimistic style but also with promise and hope.

Viewed as the "father of modern Cypriot painting," Diamantis was born in Nicosia and studied art at St. Martin's School of Art and the Royal College of Art. His archive was recently donated to the University of Cyprus in order that his research and sketches can be accessible to future generations.

Another artist whose work stood out for me was Loukia Nicolaidou-Vassiliou (1909-1994) who as a trailblaizing figure was the first professional female artist in Cyprus.

Born into a wealthy family in Limassol in 1909, she challenged the social norms that expected women to be wives and mothers and moved to Paris in 1929. Upon returning to Cyprus in 1933, she held solo exhibitions in Nicosia and Limassol (1934-1936), however her work in a socially conservative environment was met with public indifference. Disheartened by this, she moved to London in 1937.

In 1939, she married shipowner Ioannis  Vassiliou. She gradually withdrew from the public art scene to focus on her family but continued to paint privately until the mid-1960s. She was largely forgotten until 1992 when the State Gallery restored her status as a pioneer of modern Cypriot art. She died in England in 1994. At the State Gallery, I was deeply drawn to her monumentally bold and impressive work 'The Rich Fruits of the Earth' and at the A.G Leventis Gallery 'Daughters of God, which again uses vibrant and bold outlines and colours.

At the A.G Leventis Gallery, I took part in a guided tour of the works of Christoforos Savva (1924-1968). Savva was a groundbreaking and transformative figure in 20th century art and became the leading voice of the newly independent Republic of Cyprus. His work shows incredible diversity, using materials such as wood, cement and fabric and his work represents an inclusive Cypriot identity.

In May 1960, he co-founded the Apophasis Gallery with the artist Glyn Hughes and hosting the first-ever joint exhibition of Greek and Turkish Cypriot artists. His work, presented at the A.G Leventis Gallery was discovered through a remarkable meeting in late 2020. The archive originated from a decades-old friendship between Savva and a Turkish Cypriot collector (the father of the donor).

The guided tour took us through the different periods of Savva's life and work. Following his sudden death, his work was rediscovered by later generations and the exhibition features both his work but also sketches, experimental works and notes from his private archive. Of particular interest for me was his work using pins to create an image on a canvas. The exhibition runs until June.

All the works I was lucky to see, drew you in to an impression all of the artists had of both their time abroad and their view of Cyprus. It is apparent in all of these works, that there existed a deep love but also a deep concern for the future of the island, from the darkness and light seen in Diamantis' work to the lack of initial recognition of Loukia Nicolaidou-Vassiliou's work and the restlessness and struggles seen in Savva's work. 

What is a consolation today, is that the life and work of these artists is viewed and recognised for what it stands for and can hopefully guide us to how we choose to create a future for this island.

A little bit of Wintering...

Today marks the final day of January, which to me and the majority of us is the most difficult month of the year. Getting through it is an accomplishment in itself. February now beckons, a softer month, a romantic month and one that promises a long weekend.

As always, the new year means making new year's resolutions and now, by the end of January, some have been kept and some neglected. It's cold and gloomy and most of us tend to withdraw from too much contact with the world in these cold couple of months, opting to stay in, cook and cosy up with a good book or escapist series or film. Life is slow and sleepy, seemingly uneventful and quiet, a chance to refresh until spring arrives when the feeling to venture out again is more prevalent.

To me, this time of year means storing up knowledge and setting goals, whether they be visiting a place you have been meaning to for a while and learning something new, or making time to exercise or set a reading goal. January and February seem like months of slumber but they can also mean quietly and unassumingly working on yourself so that by spring and summer, something within you is ready to bloom and blossom.

Katherine May, in her book 'Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times,' explains the following, "Wintering brings about some of the most profound and insightful moments of our human experience, and wisdom resides in those who have wintered." 

So it is, that the bleakest months of the year, can in fact be beneficial for reflection and introspection and give more meaning and understanding to how our life is progressing. A little bit of wintering goes a long way, if we let it.

A Return To Nicosia...

"There is still a piece of a blue sky left in Cyprus, it is towards it that the boat of our hope is sailing."

Such was the saying by George Georghiou, which was surrounded by notes and pictures left by visitors of the exhibition entitled 'Sector 2' at the Leventis Municipal Museum.

The exhibition, housed on the second floor of the museum takes you through Nicosia's troubled past, notably the bi-communal troubles of 1956, 1958, 1964 and 1974.

As was explained by the guide, Nicosia before the troubles coexisted peacefully and photographs depict that time as different communities went about their daily routines. The aftermath of World War II and struggles against colonialism in the mid 20th century affected both communities.

The armed struggle of the Greek Cypriots against the British administration widened the distance between them. Organisations calling for partition of the island (taksim) led to clashes, violence and killings. In 1956 the murder of a Turkish- Cypriot auxiliary police officer by EOKA members stirred up violence. As a consequence, the first division of Nicosia was created when the British army placed barbed wire along Ermou Street which separated the Turkish- Cypriot section from the Greek-Cypriot one.

The Clemens or Mason-Dixon line as it was called, did not help to improve relations between the two communities and in 1958 the conflict got worse after the presentation of the Macmillan Plan for a solution to the Cyprus Problem. An attack on the Press Office of the Turkish consulate provoked violence and murders. This also led to a separation of municipalities.

Later, as is explained, stray shootings, house arrests, social isolation and a chilling silence were the characteristics that made up the image of the capital in December 1963. 

International pressure led to the creation of a Buffer Zone which was called the 'Green Line.' All houses and shops within the boundaries were abandoned and the area was evacuated. In March 1964 the United Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus arrived. Photographs in the exhibition display what life was like at this time and even includes a bicycle belonging to an Armenian resident, which he took with him when he left his home during the inter-communal riots in December 1963.

Life in Nicosia was tense because of fear of attacks. Turkish-Cypriots quit their jobs and as a result government broke down. Such was the situation in 1964 and tensions remained high. Crisis in schools, the government sector, police and postal delivery services and the inability of Turkish-Cypriots to access medical care, since the Nicosia General Hospital was under the control of the Greek-Cypriots, caused upheaval. There were also shortages of food and other necessities.

Around mid-1965 things began to improve but this was not to last. Dialogue between the two communities did happen in 1968 but it remained incomplete. The Greek junta-led coup against President Makarios on the 15th July 1974 provided a pretext for action by Turkey. On the 20th July 1974, the first phase of the Turkish invasion began and led to the division of Cyprus and the mass displacement of more than 200,000 people from both communities.

According to our guide, it would only take 48 hours to reunify Nicosia into one whole once again. One unanimous  decision, one unanimous agreement and the capital could move forward into a united and peaceful future and in the words of Michalis Pasiardes, "This, too is Nicosia's hope for tomorrow. For man-made lines to dissolve, for our city to once more discover her complete face."

Sources: Leventis Municipal Museum

              A Guide to the History of Nicosia

Ten Cypriot Staycation Summers...

The last time I hopped on a plane was to go to the UK on a wobbly Easy Jet flight to Leicester and was pleasantly surprised by the UK weather which was unexpectedly mild with no rain. That was September 2015.

Following that, for the next ten years, I opted to stay in Cyprus. During these years I have seen Cypriot presidents leave and take up office, lived through a pandemic which limited travel, switched jobs and welcomed a niece into the world and had to say goodbye to loved ones who passed away. It seems like a lifetime but in the process I have felt changed, even renewed despite the lack of travelling.

In this time I have also read steadily, gathered knowledge, visited places of interest in Cyprus and become more aware of this island's deep and complex history and culture. My Cypriot nature has become more apparent and I have blended in more with the world around me and my spoken Greek has improved.

Even though at times the desire to get on a plane and escape for a while is missed, the island pulls me back-its shores, its mountains, its lifestyle, its protective nature. There is so much I have yet to discover, so many more places I haven't yet visited or experienced. In short, we are lucky to live here. The climate, the food, the easy way of getting out and about. 

There are times when we complain, get angry and grumble at the state of things and there are certainly aspects of life here that can and must be improved, but being a small island changes and improvements are feasible as long as they are competently and effectively done. 

In its troubled past, this island had to start again from very little and it is commendable in itself that the unoccupied part of the island has made so much progress since those troubled times. More still needs to be done and the future awaits, but Cyprus pushes forward like all other nations into a period which will hopefully bring good fortune, prosperity but above all, peace and reunification.

Lawrence Durrell in his book 'Bitter Lemons of Cyprus,' said, "Taken leisurely, with all one's time at one's disposal Cyprus could, I calculate, afford one a minimum of two years reckoned in terms of novelty; hoarded as I intended to hoard it, it might last anything up to a decade."

For me, a decade it has been, without having had an eye on other lands, but despite this I have gained and seen an island like the sea around it, in all its seasons, in all its calm and upheaval but still with an eye on the horizon, looking out and awaiting what is next to come.

Mountains and Monasteries...

John Muir, the Scottish-American naturalist once said, "The mountains are calling and I must go." Such was the feeling today as we set off for a trip out of town and into a more peaceful and quiet area of the island.

Our first stop was the picturesque village of Omodos, surrounded by pines. Walking along its cobbled streets, we reached the famous Timiou Stavrou Monastery which stands in the centre of the village. Legend has it that St. Helena (mother of Emperor Constantine) left a piece of the rope with which Christ was tied to the cross and it is now kept in a cross-shaped reliquary. It is believed that on her return journey from Jerusalem after recovering the Cross of the Crucifixion, St. Helena was stranded by bad weather on the south shores of Cyprus. She first founded the monastery of the Holy Cross on Olympus peak, now known as Stavrovouni (Cross on the Mount) and then churches at Tochni, Lefkara and Omodos.

It is possible that on the site of the present monastery, on which St. Helena built only a church, there pre-existed another smaller church or even a pagan temple. The current church was built in 1858 to replace a smaller one that was demolished.

The monastery it is believed must have flourished during Frankish and Venetian rule since important icons survive from these periods. The village of Omodos developed from the monastery possibly as early as the Byzantine period but certainly during Frankish rule.

The local priest explained the monastery's past and the church has icons painted in the Russian Orthodox style as well as impressive murals created between 1905 and 1912 which are influenced by more Western traditions in painting.

I paid a visit to the Ecclesiastical Museum within the monastery which houses 16th century icons portraying Jesus' life as well as icons of St. John the Theologian, St. Peter and Archangel Gabriel among others. Also on display were religious robes worn by priests, a silver incense burner and silver trays and chalices.

The first floor took you to a display of Omodos papilla lace and as is explained by the historian Talbot Rice in his book 'The Icons of Cyprus,' these laces were highly valued in Europe and exported in the 14th century. 

Another museum on the top floor was dedicated to the EOKA struggle with descriptions of some of the fighters who died and displayed are an interesting collection of some of their clothes and belongings.

Leaving Omodos, we made our way higher up towards Platres and Trooditissa Monastery in a landscape of refreshing and lush greenery, the sky above overcast with a hope of rain and opening the car windows, we breathed in the cool, mountain air.

There was a soothing calm about the monastery with only the rustle of leaves breaking the silence. Local tradition dates the monastery to the 8th or 9th century, though the earliest written record is from the 14th century. The monastery was burned down by the Ottomans in 1585 and again by fire in 1842 with the current church built in 1731. The surrounding monastic buildings date from the late 18th and 19th centuries. Inside, the miracle-working icon is adorned with a silver-leaf cover and offers hope to childless couples.

We returned to Omodos for coffee and cake and as we sat idly in the cafe under the shade of large umbrellas, it started to rain. The rain felt auspicious and hopeful and a respite from the heat and humidity. Before leaving we bought 'arkatena' (bread typical of the village) as well as honey-coated cashew nuts and pomegranate-flavoured sesame seed candy known as 'pasteli.' 

The trip was a change of scene to the hustle and bustle of town life and on returning I felt changed and with a renewed sense of hope.