FAMAGUSTA
This road trip was focused solely on the medieval port city of Famagusta.
Similar to Nicosia, the Venetian’s built a substantial fortification system around the city to prepare for the Ottoman siege of 1570. However, soon after their construction, both elaborate wall and bastion systems failed as the island fell to Ottoman rule.
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| Sea Gate |
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| Othello’s Tower, yes, Shakespeare’s Othello’s Tower, also known as the Citadel |
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| Here's a boy exploring the intricate system of passageways that lead to various defensive positions within Othello's Tower. In the foreground are cannonballs that were undoubtedly used by the Ottoman's during their siege. |
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Interesting use of a green roof atop a medieval archaeological site… I don't think neglect is a very sustainable technology though. |
Lala Mustafa Pasa Mosque, originally St. Nicolas Cathedral, is a gothic cathedral built in the 14th century while the island was under Lusignan (Frankish) rule. Upon the Ottoman siege of the city, a minaret was added on top of the bell tower and the interior was white-washed as it was converted into the main mosque in the city.
Many of the churches within the walls of Famagusta were destroyed during the Ottoman siege in 1571 or during one of the many earthquakes in the area during the following centuries. Those that weren’t destroyed during battle were converted into mosques, and many of those mosques were at least heavily damaged during the earthquakes as well. The skeletal remains of these churches and mosques can be found all over the city.
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These important architectural sites lie unkempt and open to weather and abuse. |
One specific church that I find interesting is St. George of the Greeks. This massive church is largely a ruin, but the remains create an interesting cross section that explains how the massive church was constructed.
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| The wall paintings in the apse of the church, which date back multiple centuries, bake in the sun all day and will continue to fade as long as they are uncovered. |
Unfortunately, the dangerous ruins of this church have become a playground for the local children and smells as though it is used as a public restroom from time to time. Although I appreciate the church being open for visitors to look around and explore, some serious care needs to be taken for the dangerous conditions on this site.
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| At ages 9, 10, 4, and 9 (left to right) this group of children has arguably the coolest but most dangerous playground I've ever seen. There were no parental figures in sight. |
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| Without being able to speak to them in Turkish, the boys would not listen to us as we told them repeatedly not to climb on the church for fear it would crumble beneath their feet. We stopped the little girl from following the older boys on multiple occasions. |
VAROSHA
On our way home we followed as closely as we could to the Turkish military border along the ghost town/former tourist capital of Varosha. The barbed wire and rusty barrels that wall off the Turkish military zone north of the Buffer Zone encloses an entire town, which has allowed the condition of the buildings within deteriorate steadily for the last 35+ years.
We stopped at a locked neo-classical school building that was just outside of the fenced off area. The eerie glow coming from within the front door and the overgrown front lawn made for a very disturbing site.
As a youth I remember climbing grain piles, and playing "king of the hill" on construction gravel piles or snow piled up after huge blizzards. I admire the curiosity and desire to explore exhibited by these young kids. In this case, your concern for their safety is well-founded. But I would also offer the opinion that we have, in general, stifled the naturally inquisitive nature of youth by our efforts to "protect" them.
ReplyDeleteThe remaining structures and remnants in Famagusta are still impressive. The artisans and builders of the time were talented and ingenious. The fact that much still remains intact after 400 plus years is amazing.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your points about the adventurous children. I looked on envious when it got to the point that we realized they couldn't understand us. At that point, anything we said to them or gestured to them made them bolder and sent them climbing higher on this deteriorating monument. I read the book "Pillars of the Earth" a few months ago and part of the story follows a young boy's development in a monastery in the middle ages as a cathedral is being constructed. As I walked through these ruins and watched the children chase each other on top of vaults and columns, I began to flash back to the book and immediately had the urge to join them.
ReplyDeleteConsider that I'm also worried about the conservation of the monument itself, which has not been treated appropriately. I would like to preserve the legacy of this building so that future generations of young children can walk through it.
Indeed, the craftsman and designers at this time had impressive skills. Their ability to design timeless works of art that have such permanence on a landscape is something that's been lost by the developments today which may only last a few decades. In the age "sustainable design", shouldn't our goal be to design and build things that will SUSTAIN the test of time or utilize the structures that have sustained the test of time?