The Armenian Church, Lefkosia

The picture portrays the loggia on the east side of the Armenian church-convent in Nicosia. The 13th century building was known during the medieval period as the Latin church of Tortoza, handed over to the Armenians in 1571. It was abandoned by its congregation during the inter-communal troubles of 1963. After 1974, it was used as lodgings by Turkish settlers to the island. The church and old nunnery laid in ruins until 2010 when renovation of the main church building started and it was completed in 2012. Under the loggia and against the wall, stood for years tombstones of knights and ladies from the medieval period. Partly built within the wall, was the sarcophagus of the Abbess Eschive de Dampierre, which was a block of stone two meter long, with the coats of arms (two fish adorsed) of the Dampierre family. The tombstone, after being brutally removed and severely damaged by looters, was eventually salvaged by the Turkish antiquities authorities and placed in their department along with the rest of the tombstones. The picture portrays the loggia before the tombstones were removed. It emanates serenity and tranquillity. The extensive use of white reflects the stone with which the church and the loggia is built and the light of the summer days in Cyprus.