1. The Churches of Famagusta
Part two
- The Churches
of Famagusta
(detail of a Venetian
Winged Lion in
the fortifications
of Famagusta)
If you came to this page directly, you might wish to read a page with an introduction to this
section first.
http://romeartlover.tripod.com/Cipro2.html (1 de 11) [23/07/2012 1:18:42]

2. The Churches of Famagusta
What's New!
Detailed Sitemap
All images © by Roberto
Piperno, owner of the
domain. Write to
romapip@quipo.it. Text St. Nicholas' the
edited by Rosamie Moore. Cathedral of
Page revised in August Famagusta: (right)
2011. façade with the
minaret added by
Lala Mustafa Pacha;
(right) apse
In the XIVth century Famagusta became a very important trading port in the Levant. French,
Italians, Greeks, Syrians, Armenians lived together in a cosmopolitan environment, not uncommon
in this part of the world. The different nationalities expressed their rivalry in building churches
for their communities. The Kings of Cyprus maintained links with France and most of the
churches followed the pattern of the French Gothic Cathedrals. The Cathedral of Famagusta
http://romeartlover.tripod.com/Cipro2.html (2 de 11) [23/07/2012 1:18:42]

3. The Churches of Famagusta
was dedicated to St Nicholas; it was completed in 1328 and the Kings of Cyprus, who resided
at Nicosia came here to be crowned a second time as Kings of Jerusalem.
After the Ottoman conquest of Famagusta in 1571, the cathedral was converted into a
mosque dedicated to Lala Mustafa Pacha, the Ottoman commander who seized Famagusta after
a long siege. While we are accustomed to seeing Byzantine churches converted into mosques,
the view of a minaret next to a Gothic façade is definitely unusual.
The image used as background for this page shows a window on the side of the church.
St George's of the Greeks
After the conquest of Famagusta, the Ottomans closed all Catholic churches, but not
necessarily those of other Christian faiths in an attempt to gain the support of the Greek
and Armenian population of the island (Cyprus had strict links with the Kingdom of Lesser
Armenia which was located opposite the northern coast of the island). However, these
communities were not allowed to retain large and prominent churches, so all the major churches
of Famagusta were either converted into mosques or abandoned. St George's was the
http://romeartlover.tripod.com/Cipro2.html (3 de 11) [23/07/2012 1:18:42]

4. The Churches of Famagusta
Greek Orthodox cathedral and it was built in a mixture of Byzantine (the three apses) and Gothic
(the windows) styles.
St George's of the
Greeks: frescoes:
(left) The Descent from
the Cross; (right)
St. Peter meeting
Jesus ( Domine Quo Vadis ) ???
The central apse retains evidence of frescoes; they make the site very evocative, but
without protection they are bound to disappear completely. The photos which illustrate this
section were taken in 2002; the Smithsonian
Magazine reported in March 2009: " In April 2008, under the guidance of
http://romeartlover.tripod.com/Cipro2.html (4 de 11) [23/07/2012 1:18:42]

5. The Churches of Famagusta
Europa Nostra, a pan-European federation for cultural heritage, the Greek and Turkish mayors of
the city met in Paris. They agreed to put aside their political differences and support efforts
to preserve Famagusta. Europa Nostra hopes that their shared interest in conservation will create
an opening for international agencies to donate money, without giving rise to legal or
political disputes."
Church of Sts. Peter
and Paul: (left)
apse; (right) façade
The third large church of Famagusta was dedicated to St Peter and St Paul and it was built in
ca 1360, although parts of it were added at a later stage. The façade is rather plain when
compared to the rest of the building. In 1572 it was converted into a mosque and today it is a
public library.
http://romeartlover.tripod.com/Cipro2.html (5 de 11) [23/07/2012 1:18:42]

6. The Churches of Famagusta
St. George's of the
Latins; (inset)
relief showing two
fighting lions
Thus saith the Lord -
In whom shall Cyprus trust,
With all her crimes,
her luxury and pride?
In her lascivious loves
will she confide,
her harlot Daughters,
and her Queen of Lust?
http://romeartlover.tripod.com/Cipro2.html (6 de 11) [23/07/2012 1:18:42]

7. The Churches of Famagusta
The initial verses of this sonnet written by Benedetto dall'Uva (translation found in
The Poetical Register
and Repository of
Fugitive Poetry for 1804 ) on the eve
of the fall of Famagusta shed some light on the profligacy of the city's inhabitants. Some
travellers thought that the reason for the presence of so many churches in Famagusta was due to
the desire of the inhabitants to make up for their lascivious behaviour.
St. George's of the Latins was most likely the church of the rich Genoese community.
(left) Twin churches of
the Templars and of
the Hospitallers;
(right) St. Anne of
the Carmelites
In Famagusta the two best known and powerful military orders associated with the Crusades
http://romeartlover.tripod.com/Cipro2.html (7 de 11) [23/07/2012 1:18:42]

8. The Churches of Famagusta
had their chapels side by side; they were deeply involved in the defence of the Latin States of
the Levant and they held a large number of castles there. The Templars, after having lost Arwad
their last stronghold in Syria in 1302, were charged with a long series of crimes by Pope Clement
V; the order was eventually dissolved and its assets were seized by the European monarchs.
The Hospitallers had better luck; after losing Acre in 1291 they escaped to Cyprus and eventually
in 1309 they took Rhodes from the Byzantines and they became known as the Knights of Rhodes.
(left) Nestorian
church
(Nestorianism:
doctrine stating that
there were two
separate persons in
Christ, one human and
one divine);
(right) Tanners' mosque,
http://romeartlover.tripod.com/Cipro2.html (8 de 11) [23/07/2012 1:18:42]

9. The Churches of Famagusta
a former church
The Venetian Palace
(left) Façade of Palazzo
del Provveditore;
(right) coat of arms
of Giovanni Renier,
governor of the island
in 1552
The Venetians moved the capital of Cyprus from Nicosia to Famagusta and built a Renaissance
palace opposite the Cathedral. It was decorated with columns coming from the ancient town
of Salamis, a few miles north of Famagusta.
http://romeartlover.tripod.com/Cipro2.html (9 de 11) [23/07/2012 1:18:42]

10. The Churches of Famagusta
Back walls of the
Venetian Palace
See the other pages of this section:
Famagusta - The Walls
Nicosia
Cirenes
SEE THESE OTHER EXHIBITIONS (for a full list see my detailed list).
http://romeartlover.tripod.com/Cipro2.html (10 de 11) [23/07/2012 1:18:42]

11. The Churches of Famagusta
To search this site you can use
Search
http://romeartlover.tripod.com/Cipro2.html (11 de 11) [23/07/2012 1:18:42]