Famagusta: a ghost town

Famagusta, a city shrouded in history and legends, is located on the eastern coast of Cyprus. It was once a thriving Byzantine center, and in the Middle Ages it became one of the most important ports of the Mediterranean. Merchants from all over Europe and the East flocked here, and rich townspeople built dozens of temples and fortifications, thanks to which the city was nicknamed the "city of churches."

During the era of the Venetians and Ottomans, Famagusta turned into a real cultural crossroads. Gothic cathedrals have become mosques, and the powerful Venetian walls that still surround the old town remind of its former greatness. During the British period, the city flourished again, and the Varosha area became famous as a luxury resort.

The events of 1974 changed the fate of Famagusta: Varosha turned into a "ghost town", but life continues outside the walls of the old city. Medieval towers, the Lala Mustafa Mosque and the legendary Othello Castle still stand here — witnesses of centuries of struggle and victories.

Today, Famagusta is a symbol of resilience and hope. This is a city where history sounds in every stone, and the hope of renewal is juxtaposed with the memory of the past.