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| St. Sophia Cathedral |
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St. Sophia Cathedral was built by the Lusignans in the 13th century. It is the oldest and one of the finest examples of Gothic art in North Cyprus. Within, Lusignans Princes were crowned kings of Cyprus. When the Ottoman’s took Cyprus in 1571, they converted the cathedral and because of this, it features a unique mixture of typical medieval gothic church architecture and Muslim adaptations in form of a Mihrab (indication niche towards Mecca) and a mimber (pulpit) and a women’s gallery in the north transept amongst. The cathedral was renamed in 1954 as Selimiye Mosque (cami).
Tip: If you go around the old Cathedral and you will find a small square behind it. There you can suddenly smell fresh coffee... if you follow your nose you find a small Turkish coffee factory...
Don’t miss the public market hall to the right of the Cathedral... great place for fresh vegetables, fruits, Turkish delight and much more...
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