"قبرص." [ظ‎‎٢‎٣] (١٨٤/٤٦)

40
CYPRUS.
Situation and
description of
the town.
Houses.
Cathedral and
churches.
CHAPTER III*
Towns, Villages, and Antiquities.
NICOSIA.
Nicosia, called also Lefcosia, lias since the time of the Lusignans
been the capital of Cyprus, the seat of the government, and the
residence of the Governor. The population is now estimated at
about 16,000, and a greater proportion of the inhabitants are
Mussulmans than in any other town in Cyprus. Nicosia is situated
in the flat, fertile, and treeless plain called the Messaria, and at
a distance of about 12 miles from the north coast of the island.
As Nicosia is approached from Larnaca, the town comes into view
from a small ridge about two miles distant, and from here it has a
picturesque and even imposing appearance; inside the circle of
fortifications are seen domes, minarets, spires, flat roofed houses
with gaily painted balconies, alternating with palm, orange, and
lemon trees ; the interior does not, however, fulfil the expectations
raised by this first view, for the town is irregularly built, and inter
sected by narrow and tortuous stone-paved lanes, which are bounded
by high garden walls.
There are now but very few good or commodious houses in Nicosia,
as those built by the Lusignan nobles are crumbling away in decay.
Nearly all are built of mud-coloured sun-dried bricks; some few
have the lower story composed of stone hewn by the Venetians
during their occupation, but the great proportion are simply one
storied rectangular buildings with small courtyards. The bazaars
afford almost the only variety of scene in the town ; they are either
under arches, or are covered overhead with trellised vines or
stretched awning of canvas. The articles offered for sale are vege
tables and fruits, unbleached cotton goods from Manchester, which
have been printed on the spot in flaring colours, tin ware, pack
saddles, rugs, silks of native manufacture, petroleum, &c. No
house furniture can be obtained, and the local tradesmen are unenter
prising and apathetic. The largest bazaar has been built since
1856, the old one having been destroyed by fire in that year.
The Cathedral of St. Sophia is a fine edifice built in the Gothic
style; it was formerly richly decorated, but of the ornamentation
# This Chapter is chiefly confined to a topographical description of the principal
places in Cyprus, and a statement of such fortifications as they may possess ; separate
chapters are devoted to the consideration of their industries, trade, agricultural
products, and capabilities for the formation of harbours.