After the Turkish invasion and the partition of the island in 1974. The Ledra Palace border crossing was the major route between the 2 parts of the Island. This crossing was not open to normal citizens but for officials, UN personnel and SBA personnel. In 1999 and 2001 I was able to use this crossing as my Brother in Law was a UK Civil Servant working in WSBA.
The crossing was named after the hotel adjacent to the crossing which prior to the invasion was one of the largest and most glamorous hotels of the capital. After the invasion it was within the UN buffer zone and became the HQ for Sector 2 of UNFICYP until 2017 when it was deemed to be not fit for purpose due to health and safety concerns.
The process involved checking of documentation by both Greek and Turkish (but not UN personnel) and the purchase of TRNC car insurance. This remains for me one of the most evocative border crossings, along side Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin.
1999 Visit
2001 Visit
Date of Visits: August 1999 and August 2001
Barry's Borderpoints 