When In Nicosia...

On a peaceful July morning, we made our way to Nicosia and arrived at Archbishop Kyprianou Square. There was a beautiful calm silence about the place. The palace was protected by high fences and the security guard sat in his box. We were disappointed that we couldn't enter the palace as we had planned, but we were excited when we saw President Makarios' cars. 

We made our way to the Folk Art Museum next door, which is housed in the old Archbishopric Palace. Among the highlights in the museum, was a beautiful late 20th century wedding dress with a veil. There were also traditional clothes on display as well as jewellery, church ornaments, chest boxes from the 19th century, traditional beds, a gramophone and an old sewing machine. We got an idea of how traditional life was in 19th century Cyprus. 

Our next stop was the National Struggle Museum. Inside we observed the photo gallery which presented the events in Cyprus between 1955-1958 when the Cypriot population took up an armed struggle against the British. There were particular graphic pictures of those who had died. The place was emotionally charged and we couldn't help but be moved by what had happened during that time. There were photos of those who had been captured by the British before they faced execution. It is interesting to note that 18 year old Evagoras Pallikarides' picture was missing, because it was not found in the British archives. There were also photos of the British interrogators and torturers of that time. We also had a look at Grigoris Afxentiou's belongings and there were photos displaying his charred body after he was burnt alive while hiding in a cave. Among other notable exhibits were Archbishop Makarios' sandals when he was exiled to the Seychelles, a suitcase in which weapons from Greece were transported to Cyprus, objects used as hiding places for transportation of correspondence, binoculars and guns and a duplicator used to print leaflets. 

After this we made our way to the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation where a new exhibition has started about the history of the island. We watched a very informative and moving film, recounting all the important events of the island's history. The exhibition runs until the 30th June 2025. 

We had some lunch and coffee at a quaint cafeteria in Onasagorou Street and walked a little in Ledras Street. 

Nicosia's centre I felt, has a tremendous amount of potential. There are old buildings which desperately need saving and restoration and it is a shame that the Nicosia authorities are not doing everything in their power to save this part of the city. It is the capital after all and surely it should look like one. I loved Nicosia's vibe but it is up to the Nicosians to revive it once again.