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Main article: History of Kyrenia
Ancient times[edit]
The earliest document which mention Kyrenia is the Periplus of Pseudo Skylax. It dates to the thirteenth century but is based on fourth-century BC knowledge. The manuscript names numerous towns along the Mediterranean coast and mentions Kyrenia as a harbour town: "Opposite Cilicia is the island of Cyprus, and these are its city-states (poleis): Salamis, which is Greek and has a closed winter harbour; the Karpasia, Kyrenia, Lapithos, which is Phoenician; Soloi (this has also winter harbour); Marion, which is Greek; Amathus (which is autochthonous). All of them have deserted (summer) harbours. And there are also city states speaking strange languages inland."[citation needed] 4 Skylax referred to both Kyrenia and Lapithos as Phoenician towns. Coins with Phoenician legends underline that the Northern coast between Kyrenia and Lapithos were at least under Phoenician influence.
Another topographical source is the Stadiasmus Maris Magni (from the name 'stadion', a unit of distance, 1 stadion = 184 metres (604 ft)). The unknown author, who sailed from Cape Anamur on the Cilician coast to Cyprus and circumnavigated the island, gave the distances from Asia Minor to the nearest point in Cyprus. This was 300 stadia, around 55,000 metres (180,000 ft). He also recorded distances between towns. From Soli to Kyrenia he counted 350 stadia, 50 from Kyrenia to Lapithos and 550 from Lapithos to Karpasia.
Ptolemy's Geography gives the distances between the towns and settlements of Cyprus which are marked by cycles and lists Kyrenia. Ptolemy, lived in Alexandria, Egypt, around 150 AD.
Another medieval reproduction of an ancient scroll is the Tabula Peutingeriana. It is nearly seven metres (23 ft) long and one metre (3.3 ft) wide and shows the road network in the Roman Empire of the 4th/5th century. Kyrenia together with Paphos, Soloi, Tremethousa and Salamis are marked by a pictogram showing two towers close together. Kyrenia is connected by a road via Lapithos and Soli with Paphos and via Chytri with Salamis.
The use of milestones during Roman times, shows that the road circuit around the island was completed. Kyrenia was connected via Soli and Paphos to the western and southern part of the island. At the same time, the road to the east was extended along the shore to Karpasia and Urania on the Karpas Peninsula. During the following centuries, Kyrenia is variously named on the maps as Ceraunia, Cerenis, Keronean, Kernia and Kerini.
Cepheus from Arcadia is believed to be the founder of the town of Kyrenia. A military leader, he arrived at the north coast of Cyprus bringing many settlers with him from various towns in Achaea. One such town, located near present-day Aigio in the Peloponnese, was also called Kyrenia. This is said to be the home of the mythical Ceryneian Hind (Greek: Κερυνῖτις ἔλαφος, romanized: Kerynitis elaphos) from the 12 Labours of Hercules. East of Kyrenia lies the "Coast of Achaeans". According to Strabo, It was at Kyrenia that Teucer came first ashore, to found the ancient Kingdom of Salamis after the Trojan war.
The earliest reference made to the town of Kyrenia is found, together with that of the other seven city-kingdoms of Cyprus, in Egyptian scripts dating from the period of Ramesses III, 1125–1100s BC.
From its early days, Kyrenia's commerce and maritime trade benefited enormously from its proximity to the coast of Asia Minor. Boats set sail from the Aegean islands, traveled along the coast of Asia Minor, then crossed over the short distance to the northern shores of Cyprus to reach the two city-kingdoms of Lapithos and Kyrenia. This lively maritime activity (late 4th or early 3rd century BC) is evident in an ancient shipwreck discovered by Andreas Kariolou in 1965, just outside Kyrenia harbour. The vessel's route along Samos, Kos, Rhodes, the Asia Minor coastline and then Kyrenia, demonstrates the town's close maritime relations with other city-kingdoms in the eastern Mediterranean.
During the succession struggle between Ptolemy and Antigonus that followed Alexander the Great's death in 323 BC, Kyrenia was subdued under the rule of the kingdom of Lapithos that allied itself with the Antigonid dynasty. Diodorus Siculus observes that in 312 BC. Ptolemy arrested Praxipos the king of Lapithos and the king of Kyrenia. Once the Ptolemies were successful in dominating the whole island, all city-kingdoms were abolished. Kyrenia however, because of its maritime trade, continued to prosper. In the 2nd century BC, it is cited as one of six Cypriot towns which were benefactors to the Oracle at Delphi, that is, it received its special representatives who collected contributions and gifts. The town's prosperity at this time is also evident from its two temples, one dedicated to Apollo and the other to Aphrodite, and from the rich archeological finds dating from the Hellenistic period excavated within the present-day town limits.
The Romans succeeded the Ptolemies as rulers of Cyprus and during this time Lapithos became the administrative centre of the district. The numerous tombs excavated and the rich archeological finds dating from this period indicate, however, that Kyrenia continued to be a populous and prosperous town. An inscription found at the base of a limestone statue dating from 13 to 37 AD, refers to 'Kyrenians Demos' that is, the town's inhabitants. Here as elsewhere, the Romans left their mark by constructing a castle with a seawall in front of it so that boats and ships could anchor in safety.
Christianity found fertile ground in the area. Early Christians used the old quarries of Chrysokava, just east of Kyrenia castle, as catacombs and cut-rock cemeteries which are considered among the island's most important specimens of this period. Later, some of these caves were converted into churches and feature iconography, the most representative of which is that found at Ayia Mavri. The latest editions of the Roman Martyrology no longer include a mention, as a martyr, of Bishop Theodotus of this see. The Greek Menologium recounts, under 6 May, that under Licinius he was arrested and tortured, before being released when the Edict of Milan of 313, of which Licinius was co-author, mandated toleration of Christians in the Roman Empire.
Middle ages[edit]
XIII century flag of the Lusignan family, Kyrenia castle
With the division of the Roman Empire into an eastern and a western empire, in 395, Cyprus came under the Byzantine emperors and the Greek Orthodox Church. The Byzantine emperors fortified Kyrenia's Roman castle and in the 10th century, they constructed in its vicinity a church dedicated to Saint George, which the garrison used as a chapel. Then, when in 806, Lambousa was destroyed in the Arab raids, Kyrenia grew in importance as its castle and garrison offered its inhabitants protection and security. Isaac Komnenos of Cyprus, the island's last Byzantine governor, sent his family and treasures to the castle for safety in 1191 when King Richard I of England went to war with him and became the island's new ruler.
The Tomb of Hazreti Ömer, located near Çatalköy, dates back to early Islam and is an important pilgrimage site for Muslims.
Richard's rule was not welcomed in Cyprus so he sold the island first to the Knights Templar, and then in 1192, to Guy of Lusignan. Under Frankish rule, the villages of the district of Kyrenia became feudal estates and the town once again became the administrative and commercial centre of its region. The Lusignans enlarged the castle, built a wall and towers around the town, and extended the fortifications to the harbour. They also fortified the Byzantine castles of Saint Hilarion, Buffavento and Kantara, which, together with Kyrenia Castle, protected the town from land and sea attacks. Kyrenia castle played a pivotal role in the island's history during the many disputes among the Frankish kings, as well as the conflicts with the Genoese.
Lusignan coat of arms detail crests above the gateway to Kyrenia Castle
In 1229, during the civil war in Cyprus, the forces of King Henry I of Cyprus and the Ibelins took the castle of Kyrenia from the supporters of Frederick II with the support of Genoese ships.
In 1489, Cyprus came under Venetian rule. The Venetians modified Kyrenia Castle to meet the threat that gunpowder and cannons posed. The castle's royal quarters and three of its four thin Frankish towers were demolished and replaced by thickset circular towers that could better withstand cannon fire.
In 1505, a plague that was thought to have originated in Anatolia killed a quarter of the town's population. Another plague that originated in the Levant and affected parts of the island struck the town in 1523.
The castle's towers were never put to the test. In 1571, the castle and the town surrendered to the Ottoman army.
Ottoman rule[edit]
An illustration of Kyrenia in 1837
Under Ottoman rule, Kyrenia district was at first one of four, then one of six, administrative districts of the island and remained its administrative capital. The town's fortunes declined however, as it was transformed into a garrison town. The Christian population was expelled from the fortified city, and no one was allowed to reside within the castle other than the artillerymen and their families. These men coerced the town's inhabitants and those of the surrounding villages, Christian and Muslim alike, with their arbitrary looting and crimes. The few local inhabitants who dared to stay were merchants and fishermen whose livelihood depended on the sea. They built their homes outside the city wall, which through time, neglect and disrepair, turned to ruin. The rest of the inhabitants moved further out to the area known as Pano Kyrenia or the 'Riatiko' (so called because it once belonged to a king) or fled further inland and to the mountain villages of Thermeia, Karakoumi, Kazafani, Bellapais and Karmi.
Ottoman cemetery, dome and graves
The town revived again when bribes and gifts paid to local Turkish officials caused them to allow local maritime trade with Asia Minor and the Aegean islands to resume. In 1783, the church of Chrysopolitissa was renovated. Then, following the Ottoman Reform Edict of 1856, which introduced social and political reform and greater religious freedom for the various peoples of the Ottoman Empire, the church of Archangel Michael was rebuilt on a rocky mount overlooking the sea. Around this time, many of the Christian inhabitants of the surrounding villages re-established themselves in the town. Local agriculture and maritime trade, particularly the export of carobs to Asia Minor, allowed the people of Kyrenia to live comfortably, and some even educated their children and pursued other cultural activities.
Ağa Cafer Pasha Mosque is a historical Ottoman-era mosque located in the center of Kyrenia.
According to the 1831 census, which counted only male inhabitants, Muslims made up 52% of the population. By 1881, three years into the British administration of the island, Muslims and Christians in the town were still almost equal in numbers; the census for 1881 records the town's population as 570 Muslims and 594 Christians. However, a significant Muslim emigration from the town to Anatolia took place between 1881 and 1931, reducing the Muslim population ratio to only 36% in 1901, 32.5% in 1911, 30% in 1921, and 24% in 1931. One explanation for this exodus may be the general anxiety that prevailed among the island's Muslim population during the Balkan and First World wars, when the Ottomans fought against Greece in the former and Britain in the latter. Proclamation of the island as a British colony in 1924 caused further Turkish Cypriot emigration to Anatolia, symptomatic of the weak bond the Cypriot Turkish population had with the town. The Turkish Cypriot population proportion continued to decrease until 1960 when it reached 20%.
British rule[edit]
Map of Kyrenia in 1878
In 1878, following a secret agreement between the British and Ottoman governments, Cyprus was ceded to Great Britain as a military base in the eastern Mediterranean. At first Great Britain did not undertake major administrative changes, so Kyrenia remained the district's capital. A road was constructed through the mountain pass to connect the town to Nicosia, the island's capital, and the harbour was repaired and expanded to accommodate increasing trade with the opposite coast. The town's municipal affairs were put in order and the municipal council took an active role in cleaning and modernizing the town.
In 1893, a hospital was built through private contributions and effort. By the 1900s (decade), Kyrenia was a buzzing little town with a new school building, its own newspaper, and social, educational, and athletic clubs. It was also a favoured vacation spot for many wealthy Nicosian families. Many homes were converted into pensions and boardinghouses and in 1906, the first hotel, Akteon, was built by the sea.
St Andrew's Church is part of the Anglican church's Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf.
These first decades of British rule however, also saw increased economic hardship for the population. High taxation, frequent droughts, and a worldwide economic depression were precipitating factors for a mass exodus of people from the town and district, first to Egypt and then to the United States. The transfer of the island to British rule also prompted anxiety in the Turkish Cypriot population, whose numbers stagnated as a significant emigration to Anatolia took place. Meanwhile, the ratio of the Greek Cypriots grew significantly from 49% to 67%.
In 1922, the Episcopal see of Kyrenia relocated back to the town after the completion of a new metropolitan building. That same year, the Greco-Turkish War brought to a halt all trade with the opposite coast causing a serious economic depression.
Costas Catsellis, a young repatriate from the United States, built the town's first modern hotels, the Seaview in 1922 and the Dome in 1932. Kyrenia's mild climate, picturesque harbour, numerous archeological sites, panoramic views that combined sea, mountains and vegetation, coupled with modern amenities, soon attracted many travellers and Kyrenia's economy revived through tourism.
After the Second World War, more hotels were built and the town remained a favoured vacation spot for people from Nicosia and foreign travellers alike. To the town's Greek and Turkish inhabitants were added many from Great Britain, who chose Kyrenia as their permanent place of residence.
1960–present[edit]
Kyrenia Harbour in 1967
In 1960, Cyprus gained its independence from Great Britain. However, the intercommunal conflict that broke out in 1963–1964 between the island's Greek and Turkish population again eroded Kyrenia's prosperity. While skirmishes in Kyrenia were minimal, the Turkish Resistance Organisation blockaded the Kyrenia-Nicosia road and occupied Saint Hilarion castle.
Despite these difficulties, the 1960s and early 1970s was a period of lively cultural and economic activity. A new town hall was built and a Folklore Museum established. The ancient shipwreck was reassembled, together with all its amphorae and cargo, and permanently exhibited at the castle. The number of new hotels and tourists multiplied and a new road was constructed in the early 1970s connecting the town to Nicosia from the east. The town's cultural activities greatly increased. Other than the many traditional cultural and religious fairs and festivals annually celebrated, flower shows, yachting races, concerts and theater performances were organized.
According to the 1973 census, 67.7% of the city's inhabitants were Greek Cypriots, while the Turkish Cypriots made up 25.1% of the population. The town's inhabitants, Greek, Turk, Maronite, Armenian, Latin and British peacefully coexisted and cooperated in their daily affairs and the town had grown beyond its two historic neighbourhoods of Kato (Lower) Kyrenia and Pano (Upper) Kyrenia. It expanded towards the mountain slopes to form the new neighbourhood of "California", and eastward it had just about reached the outskirts of Thermia, Karakoumi and Ayios Georgios.
On 20 July 1974, the Turkish army invaded Cyprus in response to a coup d'état carried out by EOKA B and the Greek junta, landing at 5-Mile point, west of Kyrenia. Gaining ground against the local forces, the Turkish Army reached Kyrenia on 22 July 1974 during the UN-sponsored cease fire.[citation needed] The majority of the Greek Cypriot population of the city fled in the wake of the Turkish advance. A small group of Greek Cypriots who tried to remain within Kyrenia were kept in the Dome Hotel until October 1975, after which they were taken to Bellapais; the total number of the displaced Kyrenian Greek Cypriots were around 2,650. Subsequently, Turkish Cypriots displaced from elsewhere in Cyprus and immigrants from Turkey moved in, with the result that the town's present ethnic make-up is predominantly Turkish and Turkish-Cypriot.
