Kyrenia Gate

Kyrenia Gate is a historic city gate in the northern half of Nicosia that originally served as the entrance to the northern regions, especially the town of Kyrenia. The Venetians built it in 1567 as part of the reconstruction of the massive, circular city walls. The gate's architecture consists of a short passageway with rounded arches, while the square guardroom above is topped by a dome. In 1821, the Ottomans thoroughly restored the structure and added a second floor that served as a guardhouse to protect the city against a possible Greek uprising.

On the facade, you can admire several historic inscriptions that document the different eras of rule. A Latin plaque from the Venetian period bears the date 1562, when construction began, and was rediscovered in 1931 when an Ottoman Quranic inscription was removed. Next to it are an Ottoman plaque from 1821 bearing the tughra of Sultan Mahmud II and a British inscription from 1931 marking the renovation under King George V. Today the gate serves as the tourist office of the Turkish community of Nicosia and invites you to linger.