If you are staying at Long Beach, make some time and visit these six historical places
we handpicked for you.
Salamis Ancient City
The ancient city of Salamis became the capital of Cyprus as far back as 1100 BC. The city shared the destiny of the rest of the island during the successive occupations by the various dominant powers of the Near East, such as the Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, and Romans. The ancient site covers an area of one square mile extending along the sea shore. There is still a large area awaiting excavation and this is forested with mimosa, pine and eucalyptus trees.
St. Barnabas Monastery
The Monastery of St. Barnabas is at the opposite side of the Salamis-Famagusta road, by the Royal Tombs. You tell it apart by its two fairly large domes. It was built to commemorate the foremost saint of Cyprus, whose life was so intertwined with the spread of the Christian message in the years immediately following the death of Christ.
Othello Castle
Othello Castle also known as Othello’s Tower, is located in Famagusta, Cyprus. It was built by the Lusignans in the 14th century, and was later modified by the Venetians. The castle
was named after a Venetian governor in 1506. It is said that Shakespeare’s play Othello which is believed to be written in 1603 has taken its name from this castle.
Lala Mustafa Paşa Mosque
The Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque originally known as the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas and later as Saint Sophia (Ayasofya) Mosque, is the largest medieval building in Famagusta, Cyprus. Built between 1298 and c. 1400, it was consecrated as a Catholic cathedral in 1328. The cathedral was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman Empire conquered
Famagusta in 1571 and it remains a mosque to this day.
Kantara Castle
The exact date of this castle’s construction remains unknown, while the most plausible theory is the Byzantine period. It combines Byzantine and Frankish architectural elements, became derelict in 1525 and was dismantled in 1560. As both of the other castles are visible from Buffavento, it was used to pass signals between them.
Apostolos Andreas Monastery
Apostolos Andreas Monastery is a monastery situated just south of Cape Apostolos Andreas, the north-easternmost point of the island of Cyprus, in Rizokarpaso in the Karpaz
Peninsula. The monastery is dedicated to Saint Andrew and is an important site for the Cypriot Orthodox Church.
