The Omeriye Mosque standing tall in the city of Nicosia

Though in modern Cyprus, Islam is practiced by only 18% of the population, near the Main Municipal Market in the walled city of Nicosia lies another cultural and religious heritage of of the country - the Omeriye Mosque - one of the many influences of the faith.

Ironically, the Omeriye Mosque was identified as the original church of the Order of the Augustinians which was dedicated to St. Mary. The discovery of the several numbers of tombs where the Augustinian hermits finally laid to rest proved the assumption that the Omeriye Mosque was once a cradle for the Augustinian Order.

Above: Picture of Famagausta Gate

The Famagusta Gate is a historical relic piece handed down by the island’s tumultuous history. It is also a portion of the fortified medieval town wall of Nicosia. Initially, it was labeled by the Venetians as the “Porta Guiliana”. This was a tribute to Count Savorgnano - the military engineer who created the wall.

During that time, the Gate was also recognized as the “Porta di Sotto” or the Lower Gate. This was due to the fact that there was so much dissimilarity in the leveling compared to its exterior. It is also known as the “Taht-el-kaleh” to the Turks.

Lefkosia was first inhabited over 5000 years ago. It was first known as Ledra during the Hellenistic period, but later the name was changed to Lefkothea under the Ptolemists. During the first Christian years it became known as Lefkosia.

Lefkosia, the capital of Cyprus is better known to foreigners by its mediaeval name, Nicosia. The city’s origins go back in history as the earliest human settlements found in the vicinity of the modern city date back to the 3rd millennium BC.