Varosha (Turkish: Maraş) is the southern quarter of Famagusta, a de jure territory of Cyprus, currently under the control of the TRNC. In the early 1970s, Famagusta was the number-one tourist destination in Cyprus. To cater to the increasing number of tourists, many new high-rise buildings and hotels were constructed. During its heyday, Varosha was not only the number-one tourist destination in Cyprus, but between 1970 and 1974, it was one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and was a favourite destination of such celebrities as Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Raquel Welch, and Brigitte Bardot.
Before 1974, Varosha was the modern tourist area of the Famagusta city. Its Greek Cypriot inhabitants fled during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, when the city of Famagusta came under Turkish control, and it has remained abandoned ever since. In 1984 a United Nations resolution called for the handover of the city to UN control and said that only the original inhabitants, who were forced out, could resettle in the town.
In 2001 I took some photographs from outside the fence, was observed and had my film confiscated. I visited this point as part of the IBRG CYBEX-24
Varosha is an area of contention. The Greek owners of the hotels received compensation but are still regarded as the only rightful owners. The UN, EU and the Republic of Cyprus all demand the return of the area to the original owners and in effect to the south. In contrast the TRNC have begun to reopen Varosha, beginning in 2017 and culminating in 2020, parts of the area have been opened to tourists and some buildings renovated.
Bilal Aga Mosque, constructed in 1821 and taken out of service in 1974, was re-opened on 23 July 2021. Some hotels are to be restored and reopened. All these developments are condemned outside the TRNC and Türkiye.
The beach & hotels
After 50 years the buildings have decayed and in part collapsed with vegetation growing in the ruins. Palm beach where the jet set partied in the 70’s remains lovely and now open, but with abandoned hotels as a backdrop. Signs everywhere warning to stay out of the buildings.
The Town
After leaving the beach and returning to the roundabout, the tourist route took visitors along the main shopping street. How time has been frozen here was made clear e.g. by a sign advertising the quick processing of photo films – as was common before the advent of the digital camera age. One sign invited customers to place orders for hand-made suits (but you would never be able to collect your order), yet others promised nightly dancing. But all doors are blocked. And it’s all silent inside. Where you can peek in you see that the place has been largely picked clean, only the odd piece of furniture remains. On the right there was a Government building noteworthy because of the giant flags – the ubiquitous pair of the Turkish national flag and the flag of the TRNC,
Further up the road there was a UN OP, a theatre many shops and at the end of the route a renovated mosque, café and shop . A tall Greek Orthodox church just one block in from the tourist route, on the other hand, remains off limits.
UN OP #149
Abandoned shops & buildings
Famagusta Port
Dark Tourism is always thought provoking, the costs of war, the displaced, the ongoing arguments between the north and the south about the status of this place.
A short distance from Varosha is the port and the Yacht Club which surprisingly is within a restricted area.
Date of Visit: 1 October 2024
Barry's Borderpoints 