The Arabahmet District
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An Arabahmet street |
Arabahmet is a traditional residential neighbourhood in the western part
of the walled city, to the north of the
Paphos Gate. Most of the houses
in the area were built in the late 19th and early 20th century as one or
two story structures, with courtyards and gardens at the back.
As this area was one of the highest points of the old city, it was one
of the most important districts of Nicosia, where many high officials
and wealthy merchants chose to live. In order to adapt the buildings to
their own culture, the Ottomans made several changes to the existing
structures, like adding bay windows and building high garden walls.
Recent restoration works have shown that many of the buildings in
Arabahmet combine Ottoman, Venetian and Lusignan characteristics.
The main street in the centre of Arabahmet is Salahi Sevket was
known as Victoria street in British times, and the name is still
sometimes used. Here was the home of many British officials after 1878.
Indeed, the houses here have a colonial feel to them with their ornate
balconies that hang over their front doors.
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Salahi Sevket Street |
Before the troubles, Arabahmet was the Armenian quarter of Nicosia, and
had been since the tenth century. On the eastern edge of the area are
the ruins of the Armenian church of Notre dame de Tyre. Originally a
14th century Benedictine monastery it was handed over to the Armenians
as a reward for siding with the Ottomans. They were, however, expelled
from the area in 1963 on the grounds that they had allied themselves
with the Greek Cypriots.
After 1963, almost 90% of the population were Turkish Cypriots who had
been expelled from their villages following Greek Cypriot attacks. After
1974, a good proportion of the inhabitants decided to return to rural
villages. By 1987, most of the remaining residents were elderly and of
low income households. Buildings were becoming derelict and decayed, and
the residential environment was deteriorating or giving way to workshops
and warehouses.
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Roccas Bastion |
As part of the Nicosia Master Plan, the Arabahmet area is defined as a
housing area, and is one of the few parts of the city that retains its
original street pattern, urban fabric and architectural and
environmental character. the aim of the rehabilitation project was to
restore the buildings for residential use, and for community facilities
including a library, a community centre, a small gallery, a folk dancing
club, a small hotel and a restaurant.
As a result of this project, many former dilapidated buildings in the
Arabahmet area have been privately restored as residences, small
commercial ventures and cultural centres.
Immediately west of the Arabahmet area, is the Roccas Bastion, used as a
public park. This is the closest point to the south. Here the buffer
zone dwindles to nothing, and you can look over the city wall to the
south, even having a conversation with the inhabitants.
Take time for a walk along Zahra Street, probably the most beautiful
street in the walled city. It offers stunning views of the moat, the
Ledra Palace Hotel and the romantic facades of the traditional buildings
of the Arabahmet area.
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