Perhaps the most important visitor to the island during the nineteenth century was Archduke of Austria Louis Salvador. Impressed by the capital of the island he wrote a book on Nicosia in 1873:

Perhaps the most important visitor to the island during the nineteenth century was Archduke of Austria Louis Salvador. Impressed by the capital of the island he wrote a book on Nicosia in 1873:

The principal street of Lefcosia, which is naturally the broadest and longest one, is

called Trypiotis, BasΈmahalle. The next in importance is the Tahtakale, which leads from

the Gate of Famagusta to the bazaars, thus forming the main entrance to the city. By the

side of it runs the dry bed of Pedias, with several bridges. Adjoining the Saray are the

goals, serving as a central prison for all Ottoman possessions in Asia. The Christian

prisoners, who are rather numerous are separated from the rest and upon entering they all

addressed me in Italian putting forth their complaints. They had a chain on their right leg

hanging down from a hook at their belt. Not far from the Saray is the telegraph office. The

existing cable was laid down in 1872 by an English company on account of the

Government. By the side of it stands the house of the Cadi.

There are eight hot air baths in Lefcosia: The Bόyόk Hamam, the large bath, the Emir

Hamam, later called Korkut Hamam and the Yeni Hamam being the most frequented.

The hours before noon are appropriated to men; in the afternoon women are admitted, on

Mondays and Thursdays Turkish women and on Tuesdays and Saturdays Greek women.

There is one inn, or hotel called the Locanda della Speranza, belonging to Yiorgios

Christodoulou, and five khans:

the Bόyόk Khan, built by Muzzafer Pasha in 1572 and renown for its tiny door " the hole of the needle", the Kumarcılar Khan, known also as the khan of the Itinerant musicians or the Fiddlers’inn, Tόccarbashi khan, Peşmalcilar Khan, of the vraka, and Ali Effendi Khan.

Yet the bazaars remain the center of the social life in the capital. These are generally open, simply covered with mats and linen rugs, only four and a half of them have regular roof. They amount to twenty-three, taking their names from the articles sold in each one, such as Manufactures bazaar, the Tailors, Ηai (tea) Bazaar, Provisions bazaar, İplik (flux) Pazari. But the most interesting and colourful is the Women’s bazaar, every Friday where all sorts of needlework and everything belonging to it are sold there.

The 'What I saw...' series is made possible with the support of OPAP Cyprus and Active Citizens Fund.