Discover Famagusta

Famagusta reveals its history in a walled old town, where gates, bastions and religious buildings tell different chapters. Here, imposing structures such as the Venetian fortifications stand alongside individual details: a sea-facing portcullis, a minaret on the southwest corner of a building or the remains of a Renaissance palace. Those interested in historic sites can shift their attention between these architectural forms and the stories behind them. For families, the visible differences can prompt conversation: How do a gate, a bastion and a rampart walk differ, and what stories do the religious buildings reveal about the city?

City Walls, Gates and Bastions

A three-kilometre walk runs along and through the Venetian walls that enclose the entire ancient city of Famagusta. Visitors can walk along extensive sections of the fortifications. Walks along the walls often start at the southern end near Rivettina Bastion. Stairs lead up to the ramparts; from there, visitors can continue past Arsenal to the original sea gate, Porta del Mare. These landmarks make the fortifications tangible as a connected theme, without requiring you to focus on a single structure.

Porta del Mare was one of the two original entrances to the walled old town. The iron portcullis from the Venetian period opens onto the seaward side of the city wall. Another bastion can be identified by its location: Martinengo Bastion, also known as Tophane, is in the northwestern corner of the walled old town. Arsenal Bastion contains a tomb holding the remains of a martyr. It also houses the Canbulat Ethnographic and Archaeological Museum, with Ottoman artillery, uniforms and antiquities, as well as Venetian ceramics.

Religious Buildings and Changing Architectural History

Several churches represent different religious traditions and periods. Ganchvor Sourp Asdvadzadzin is an Armenian Apostolic church within the walled old town. Its building was erected in 1346 by Armenian refugees from Cilicia. St. George of the Greeks served as the cathedral of the Greek Orthodox community in the Middle Ages. Ayia Zone is one of three surviving Byzantine churches in southeastern Famagusta. The surviving remains of the Venetian Palace in Famagusta are considered a rare example of Renaissance architecture in Cyprus.

The history of the original Church of St. Peter and St. Paul can also be traced through specific dates and people. Its foundations were laid during the reign of Peter I of the House of Lusignan (1358–1369). The Famagusta merchant Simon Nostrano financed the church with one third of the profit from a single trip to Syria. The name Sinan Pasha Mosque marks a change in the history of another building: after it had fallen out of use during the Venetian period and survived the Ottoman bombardment of the city in 1571, the Ottomans renamed it. They added a minaret to the southwest corner.

Planning Your Stay

Othello’s Castle combines a dated building history with a specific view: it was restored in 2014 and reopened to the public on 3 July 2015. Stairs lead from the courtyard to the ramparts, offering views of the old and modern harbours. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can consider whether the fortifications and buildings of the walled old town should be the focus of your stay. Namik Kemal Square is a clearly identified landmark in the city centre: the main entrance to Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque is at the western end of the building, on the east side of the square. Landmarks like these can help you compare the location of your accommodation with your own sightseeing plans.

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