North Cyprus Brief Information Series

Todays Topic of our Northern Cyprus Information Series: Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque (St. Nicholas Cathedral) ….

This building, which is one of the most important works of Gothic architecture, was started to be built by the Lusignan dynasty in 1298.

Built as a miniature of the Rems Cathedral in France , this cathedral was used as the place where the Lusignan Kings were coronated as the king of Jerusalem.

When Cyprus came under Ottoman control, the cathedral was transformed into a mosque by adding a mihrab and minaret, and it was named Famagusta Hagia Sophia Mosque.

Within the framework of Islamic rules, all human pictures inside the mosque have been removed and the pictures and frescoes on the walls are covered with plaster, so no one knows which treasures are hidden under them. Some of the mosaic glasses have been replaced by clear glass, and as with all mosques, the floor of the church is covered with a carpet and some tombstones are still likely to survive to this day. A few graves can still be found in the north corridor today.