A preliminary warning should be given to intending visitors to Famagusta. Not only is this two towns the Old City and Varosha, which spreads to the south but these are as distinct as they could possibly be. Varosha, which was once almost entirely suburban, now contains everything of modern importance from the point of view of administration, shopping, hotels and transport centres. In fact, its name is largely obsolete, and 'Famagusta' covers both parts of the town. The inner areas of the famous walled city are likely to come as a shock even to people familiar with the words of H. V. Morton: 'Medieval Famagusta is one of the most remarkable ruins in the world, and it could be made one of the wonders of the world by one millionaire in search of immortality.
The important word here, although not immediately recognizable as such, is 'ruins'. The great Venetian walls and bastions stand firm, as does the citadel to which the story of Othello has attached itself, but within their ring there is more desolation than is conceivable from an outside standpoint. Except for one new housing area, the inhabitants crowd into the habitable areas of winding streets intersected by narrow alleys, surrounded on all sides by acres of fallen stone. The cathedral is the best-preserved ancient building, and without doubt it owes its continued existence to the fact that it has been converted to Muslim use as a mosque. In the absence of H. V. Morton's millionaire, no efforts have been made to rebuild and repopulate the Old City, which is traditionally Turkish. Though the inhabitants were integrated into the Republic as Turkish Cypriots (living in North Cyprus now), they retained their sense of nationality as regards language and way of life, and the Old Town remained under the local government of the Turkish section of the island's community.
In spite of the fascination of the history, architecture and life of the Old City, visitors will not fail to appreciate the modern amenities of the sprawling southern half of Famagusta which has developed from the 'suburb' of Varosha. As in the case of Nicosia, the new development fulfils modern needs in a way that would not have been possible in a circumscribed area. Hotels, shops, public buildings and, above all, safe beaches make the perfect antidote to strenuous sightseeing programmes.
The beaches for the most part are south of the best deep water port in Cyprus , where ships lie alongside the quays immediately below the Venetian sea defences. Substantial recent harbour works have increased the capacity of the port, which is of supreme importance to the country's export and import trades.e...
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