Cyprus - City of Larnaca - Part 3

Local museum-mosques and churches

MUNICIPAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY . The museum displays large collections of local reptiles, rare insects, birds, animals as well as fossils and marine life species from Cyprus and neighbouring countries. Of particular interest are the collections of insects and plants.

KEBIR MOSQUE. The Kebir mosque is probably the first Otttoman mosque in Cyprus. It was originally a catholic church dedicated to St. Catherine in the 13th -14th century, before being converted into a mosque. The oldest reference of its existence is found in a 1747 document of Bekir Pasha, creator of the Larnaca aqueduct, where it is specified that a public fountain there should receive water from his aqueduct. This public fountain still survives outside the mosque today.

TUSLA MOSQUE. Situated in the old part of town, behind the ruins of ancient Kition, Tusla mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Larnaca. Its history goes back to Byzantine times. The mosque was originally a Byzantine orthodox church , as can be seen by the wall paintings in the building. In the 12th or 13th century it became the Catholic church of the Holy cross and was turned into a mosque after the //ottoman occupation of 1571. The minaret is built on the foundations of the original bell tower. Opposite this mosque is a Venetian period public water fountain.

ZACHOURI MOSQUE. The Zachouri mosque lies between the Kebir Mosque and the Church of St. Lazaros. It was built in the middle of the 19th century and is an important muslim religious centre.
AGIOS GEORGIOS MAKRIS CHAPEL. This stone built chapel of St George dates back to the 13th century. It is built on a hill overlooking the salt lake.

TERRA SANTA CATHOLIC CHURCH. Terra Santa is the church of the Latin community of Larnaca. Franciscan monk Callixte Martel founded the church and the convent in 1596, mainly to house Latin pilgrims visiting the Holy Land. In 1724 a larger church and convent replaced the original buildings, which in turn were demolished in 1842 to be replaced by the present church structures. The architectural style of the convent combines Renaissance and Baroque characteristics. It is also known as Santa Maria delle Grazie.

KAMARES AQUEDUCT. This beautiful 18th century aqueduct consisting of a series of arches gave the area its name. It was built in 1747 by the Turkish governor of Larnaca. Bekir Pasha, who funded it out of his own sources to carry water to Larnaca from a source about 10km away. The aqueduct was built in three years and now considered a popular tourist site from the Ottoman Period in Cyprus.

You can discover Larnaca with a Hop on tour bus during the peak summer period. If you decide to venture beyond Larnaca a hire is recommended .