The main must-see of Famagusta is, of course, the Gothic Cathedral of St. Nicholas. The Cathedral is considered the most beautiful building in the city. And behind its impressive facade lies a centuries-old history.

First of all, the Cathedral of St. Nicholas is notable for the fact that at some point it was converted into a mosque. Therefore, the exterior and interior are unique: strict Gothic architecture, as well as uncharacteristic Oriental elements.

The Cathedral was built in the XIV century in the style of radiant Gothic, which is rarely found outside of France. In appearance, it is very similar to the Cathedral in Reims, France. Architects were inspired by this Cathedral. The building was built for the coronation of the rulers of Cyprus, so a lot of money was spent on its construction. We inherited this impressive Cathedral thanks to the generosity of the kings.

About the Cathedral Edna of urban legends. According to it, during the plague epidemic in the XIV century, an envoy of the Pope arrived in the city to organize a solemn service in the Cathedral. So the city wanted to stop the spread of the disease: the plague had already mowed down half of Famagusta. And, according to legend, the service helped in the fight against the epidemic: after it, there was not a single case of infection in the city.

But not everything is so rosy and calm in the history of the Cathedral. In 1571, Famagusta was besieged by the Turks and appropriated the building to themselves. They turned the temple into a mosque called Hagia Sophia Magusa. And since the Islamic tradition forbids the depiction of people in religious objects, much of the Cathedral's decoration was lost. The Turks removed the statues of saints, removed the altar, stained glass windows, covered the floors with carpets, and whitewashed the walls. In the XX century, the mosque received a new name in honor of the Ottoman military commander Lal Mustafa Pasha.