Varosha was the Greek quarter of Famagusta. It used to be a bustling city where Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots worked happily side by side. Hotels were being built to serve tourist traffic. In total, 36 hotels occupied half of the places in Cyprus. Famagusta also had nurseries, museums and art galleries. There were primary, secondary and private schools.
It was an ideal geographic location for traders from Europe to the Middle East. It housed a very active port that imported and exported goods for the city. Banks, insurance and shipping agencies prospered in this vibrant place. Contemporary shops, boutiques, cinemas and nightclubs emerged.
Famagusta was the place to be until the Turkish army invaded in August 1974. They were responding to a Greek Cypriot coup from which the people of Varosha fled. They didn’t even stop to pick up their clothes and belongings. It is said that there is still a car dealership there that has new cars from the year 1974.
Now Varosha is known as a ghost town in Cyprus where only reptiles and rats live. Buildings are crumbling and metal is rusting. Empty buildings have been looted and roads are cracking under the hot sun. Plant life is reclaiming this small town.
Although Turkish and UN troops patrol what used to be Famagusta, one can visit it. It should be noted that there is no entrance to what used to be Varosha. You can have access to the perimeter and part of the beach front. Photography is not allowed and cameras will be confiscated if one attempts to use one. Someone can even be arrested for trying.
These two sites have become the symbol of the Cyprus conflict. Famagusta is on the World Monuments Fund’s watch list of the 100 most endangered sites. If one wants to visit the ghost town of Cyprus, one should do so soon.
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