Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Legislation
  • War On Terror
  • EU Affairs
  • Elections
  • News Analysis

Cypriot ghost town Varosha flourishes after 46 years, receives 67K visitors since opening

by DAILY SABAH WITH AA

ANKARA Nov 24, 2020 - 12:46 pm GMT+3
People ride bikes in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' (TRNC) Varosha city after a partial reopening of the city after 46 years, Nov. 24, 2020. (AA Photo)
People ride bikes in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' (TRNC) Varosha city after a partial reopening of the city after 46 years, Nov. 24, 2020. (AA Photo)
by DAILY SABAH WITH AA Nov 24, 2020 12:46 pm
RECOMMENDED
Far-right extremist Rasmus Paludan rants before burning the Quran, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Jan. 27, 2023. (AP Photo)

Norway cancels Quran burning after reaction from Türkiye

QURAN-BURNING

With the recent implementation of new environmental plans launched by the municipality, Maraş (Varosha), located in the northern part of Cyprus, which had been closed since 1974 and partially reopened on Oct. 8, is receiving a facelift as tourists return.

The city which had been a ghost town for years is now evolving with landscape design, cycle paths and kiosks set up in eight different points in the city.

According to Anadolu Agency (AA), around 67,500 people have visited Varosha since October.

Ismail Arter, Gazimağusa (Famagusta) mayor, told AA that efforts to completely open Varosha have gained pace since February despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Arter stated that the municipality strived to turn Varosha into a city where the laughter of children, the sound of people walking down the streets is heard and where the aroma of food wafting out of the windows of the city’s houses fills the air.

Saying that though there was criticism regarding the city’s opening, Arter pointed out that there were also Greeks, Britons and people from various nationalities visiting the region.

Arter underlined that the private property of people was left untouched during efforts to revive the city. He stated further that works to clear the closed parts of Varosha continue while the changing of these areas’ status was an administrative issue.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had visited the parts opened to the public in Varosha during his visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Nov. 15 to mark the TRNC's 37th anniversary of its foundation.

Erdoğan stated that the aim of steps taken in Varosha is not to create new aggrievements but to eliminate the existing ones.

"A new beneficial period for all will be launched in the ghost town of Varosha," he added.

Varosha was a famous resort area in Cyprus which boasted a capacity of 10,000 beds across more than 100 hotels, Turkish military forces intervened on the island following a Greece-backed coup.

Turkey's military intervention stopped the yearslong persecution and violence against Turkish Cypriots by ultra-nationalist Greek Cypriots.

The TRNC was established in 1983 on the northern tier of the island and is only recognized by Turkey. The country has faced an ongoing embargo on commerce, transportation and culture ever since.

The city of Varosha is protected by a 1984 U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolution, stating that the empty town can only be resettled by its original inhabitants. If the Greek Cypriots had accepted the 2004 U.N. Cyprus reunification plan, the Annan Plan, Varosha would now be back under Greek Cypriot control and its residents back in their homes. Despite this, the majority of Greek Cypriots voted against the plan, whereas the Turkish Cypriots voted for it.

RECOMMENDED
Far-right extremist Rasmus Paludan rants before burning the Quran, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Jan. 27, 2023. (AP Photo)

Norway cancels Quran burning after reaction from Türkiye

QURAN-BURNING
  • shortlink copied
  • RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    cyprus issue varosha turkey-cyprus relations trnc
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    A Turkish police officer stands guard in front of the closed Dutch Consulate in Istanbul, Türkiye, Feb. 1, 2023. (Reuters Photo)

    Türkiye angered over 'intentional' closure of foreign missions

    türkiye-eu-relations
    A Kangal dog and a lamb are seen in Elazığ, eastern Türkiye, Feb. 3, 2023. (IHA Photo)

    Turkish Kangal dog embraces role of mother to lamb

    KANGAL-DOG

    Over 200 flights cancelled in Istanbul due to expected snowstorm

    snowstorm

    'All of Ukraine will burn' due to US supplies: Russia's Medvedev

    Russian-invasion-of-Ukraine
    No Image
    Afghanistan, natural disasters and a flamingo: Weekly top photos
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021