Old Nicosia: walls, Kyrenia Gate and Ledra crossing
Europe’s last divided capital: a ring of Venetian walls, an Ottoman gate and a pedestrian crossing right in the centre.
The Venetians ringed the city with walls and eleven bastions in 1567. The north of the old town belongs to North Cyprus, the south to the Republic of Cyprus, with the UN buffer zone between them.
The Kyrenia Gate is the northern entrance. From here you walk to Selimiye Mosque, the Büyük Han and the covered market.
On Ledra Street there is a pedestrian crossing: with your passport you can be in south Nicosia within minutes and come back.
Tips
- Bring your passport (EU citizens may also use an ID card).
- Do not photograph military posts.
- In summer visit in the morning.
Getting there
North Nicosia centre. From Kyrenia by bus or car.
Prices, opening hours and entry rules change — check official sources before you travel.
Nearby
NicosiaBüyük Han – the Great InnAn Ottoman caravanserai from 1572: a two-storey gallery round a courtyard, a tiny mosque in the middle, cafés and crafts.
NicosiaSelimiye Mosque (St Sophia Cathedral)The Gothic cathedral where Cyprus’s kings were crowned, a mosque with two minarets since 1570.
Kyrenia and the northBuffavento CastleThe highest and wildest of the three mountain castles — almost 1,000 metres above the sea.