The Medieval walls of Lefkosia

The first walls surrounding Lefkosia in the 14th century were built by the Franks and enclosed a much larger area than the 16th Venetian Walls that still surround the old town. When the Venetians occupied Cyprus, they decided to demolish the Frankish Walls because they were old and did not offer adequate defence against new weapons such as artillery. The Frankish Walls were also too big to be manned by the Venetian army and too close to the hills in the east and southeast of the city.

Byzantine Museum

The Byzantine Museum is located next to St. John's Cathedral and has some of the richest collections of Byzantine artwork. The pieces hail from all over Cyprus and the main collection consists of 48 icons that date back to 8th or 9th centuries.
 

Famagusta Gate

The Venetian walls, which completely encircle the old city, have a circumference of 4,5 km and possess eleven heart-shaped bastions.
There were only three entries to the city through gates in the north, south and east. One of these gates, the Porta Giuliana, called the Famagusta Gate, has been restored and is now the Nicosia Municipal Culture Centre. The large imposing gate itself leads into a long passage with a central cupola, which cuts through the walls and comes out in the moat.
 

Cyprus Archaeological Museum

The Cyprus Museum (also known as the Cyprus Archaeological Museum) is the oldest and largest archaeological museum in Cyprus. It houses artefacts discovered during numerous excavations on the island. The museum is home to the most extensive collection of ancient Cypriot antiquities in the world and is located on Museum street in central Nicosia.
 

Archbishop's Palace

A religious, national and political monument, the Old Archbishop’s Palace is an 18th century two - storey building in the heart of Lefkosia that is closely associated with modern Cypriot history. Next to it is the new Archbishop’s Palace, a two - storey stone building in Neo - Byzantine style housing the offices of the archdiocese and the residence of the archbishop. It was built by Archbishop Makarios III between 1956 and 1960 and also houses the Byzantine Museum and the Library of the Archbishopric. Since the completion of the new Archbishopric, the Old Archbishop’s Palace has housed the Folk Art Museum and the National Struggle Museum.
Laiki Ytonia

This restored area of the old city is the pride of all Nicosians and the center of the capital’s life. Restoration began in 1981, and included renewal and reconstruction of all structures within the target area. Now the streets are lined with small art-and-craft shops, boutiques and galleries. The project won 1988 the “Pomme d’Or”, a prestigious biennal international prize.

Ledra Museum & Observatory

This museum combines a modern museum with an unhindered and beautiful view of the entire city. It can be found on the 11th floor of the Shacolas Tower. The exhibition - a cooperation with the Leventis Museum of Nicosia and the Woolworth Group - shows photographs and desciptions of Old Nicosia, a multilingual taped history and telecopes.

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