Saint Sophia Cathedral, Gothic mosque in northern Nicosia, Cyprus.
Saint Sophia Cathedral is a large house of worship with two slender minarets roughly 50 meters tall rising from unfinished bell towers. The building sits centrally in the old city and blends Gothic architecture with Islamic structural elements.
Construction began in 1209 as a Roman Catholic cathedral and continued for 150 years until the dedication in 1326. The building was later converted into a mosque, reflecting the island's complex religious history.
The building served as the coronation site for Cyprus's kings, who affirmed their power through solemn ceremonies here before traveling to Famagusta. The place held great symbolic weight in the island's political order at that time.
The interior accommodates roughly 2500 worshippers and welcomes visitors outside the five daily prayer times. Plan your visit during afternoon or evening hours to explore freely without interruption.
Hidden tombstones rest beneath the prayer hall's carpet, bearing witness to the Christian burials that once took place here. These archaeological traces of the past remain invisible to most visitors yet mark the layers of history below the floor.
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