Ledras

Ledra Street in the Old Town of Nicosia is a historic spot that reflects Cyprus's history in a striking way. Once the city's main shopping street, it was divided by the so-called Green Line after the unrest of the late 1960s. The longer southern section lies in the Greek Cypriot part of the city and is now home to international retail chains as well as the renovated Debenhams department store. The much shorter northern section is in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The two halves are separated by a United Nations buffer zone about 50 meters wide, which made the street one of the most important symbols of the island's division.

Since the crossing opened to pedestrians in the spring of 2008, the street has changed. Today it is a popular promenade, used mainly by tourists and strollers who come to experience the unique atmosphere of divided Nicosia. The northern side treats the crossing as a regular entry into the country, so passport checks and stamps take place there. From the south, however, the checkpoint is not regarded as a border. Here you can sense the historical significance of the place and discover the architectural and cultural diversity of both halves of the city, just steps from each other.