Welcome to whatson-Famagusta
This guide is intended to give you an idea of what to see and do
during your visit to Famagusta and Salamis.
Links to our main pages contain
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Information about Famagusta and Salamis.
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Places of Interest around Famagusta and Salamis.
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Current Weather for the Famagusta area with a fifteen day forecast
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Suggestion for Leisure Activities.
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A weekly list of what's on in North Cyprus.
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A History of Cyprus.
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The town of Famagusta was originally a small commercial port and
fishing village. It was greatly expanded when the city of
Salamis, to
the north, was abandoned in the 7th century, and the inhabitants moved
to Famagusta.
After the fall of Jerusalem in 1291, Christian refugees settled here,
and by 1300 it was one of the richest cities in the world, and the home
of many Christian orders.
In 1372, Famagusta was seized by the Genoese, although the rest of
the island remained under the French Lusignan rulers.
1489 saw the Venetians take control of Cyprus, and they immediately
strengthened the fortification of Cyprus. This fortification was needed
in 1570 when the Ottomans besieged Famagusta for nearly a year.
By the middle of the 19th century, the old walled city was almost
abandoned, but it contains some of the finest examples of medieval
military architecture still existent today, as well as the 14th Century
Gothic style St Nicholas Cathedral, now a mosque.
Outside the city, the spectacular ruins of Salamis give an insight
into long-lost civilisations, and include a magnificent
amphitheatre,
Roman baths, a
gymnasium and
royal tombs. Inland from Famagusta are the
church and monastery of St Barnabas, who was martyred at Salamis in 52
AD.
In 2007, Famagusta was listed as an endangered heritage site by the
World Monument Fund.
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