There are 380 HALF CONSTRUCTION IN VAROSHA… Before 1974, Maras (Varosha) was one of the most famous holiday centers of the Middle East and Mediterranean. Varosha, both a touristic and a socialite are, has been demoted into a ghost city for 45 years. It is said that there are 105 apart hotels and other accommodation facilities, 4 thousand 469 households, one thousand 953 work places, 21 banks, 25 museum / art houses, and 380 ruins in Varosha.

Hasan KARLITAŞ

I would like to share an update with you that I wrote approximately five years ago about Varosha, the topic of the recent agenda.

I find it hard to think about what I should describe about Varosha, which once was the star of tourism in Cyprus. In fact, it is well known that Varosha is far from the much-called “Ghost City and Forbidden City.”

Prior to 1974, Maras (Varosha) was one of the most famous holiday destinations in the Middle East and the Mediterranean Sea. Varosha, which is both a touristic and a socialite region, has been demoted into a ghost city for 45 years ...Varosha has been the most important mass tourism center of the Eastern Mediterranean in the 1960’s and 1970’s, and has been living its solitude for almost half a century as a result of the trauma it has experienced.

One of the most frequently asked questions to us guides is the mysterious and sad stories of Varosha. The most important place that the tourists visiting Northern Cyprus want to see but they can not, is “Closed area of Varosha”, which preserves its mystery both in its past and present day. On the one hand mystery, on the other hand sadness...

While thinking of this city, which has witnessed both entertaining and sad stories for years, I wanted to combine different perspectives with some statistical information, by combining the splendor of the past with the silence and abandonment of the fate.

In recent months, the government's inventory study and the civil initiative that is undertaken by various organisations, have been of considerable value.

It is understood that we will continue to talk about the issue of Varosha, which has an important place in the Cyprus negotiation process as a part of its comprehensive solution, in the near future with the developments and different perspectives.

Some important tourism statistics about Varosha:

Aparthotel and other accommodations: 105

(1974 welcomed 700 thousand tourists for the first 6.5 months)

(Approximately 10 thousand beds capacity)

House: 4469 households

Commercial Workplace: 1953

Bank: 21

Museum / Art Houses: 25

Church / Tomb / Cemetery: 9

Theater / Cinema: 24

Government Agency: 143

Entertainment Venue: 99

Ruin / Half Construction: 380

School: 8

Sports Complex: 2

Varosha and Rumours

  • Varosha, which became the shining star of the Mediterranean with the loss of the charm of Beirut, known as the Paris of the Middle East in the 1970s, was as famous as the Miami beach in the USA before 1974.
  • According to the official figures, according to the 1973 census, the population of Varosha was 15 thousand and again, considering the 1973 data, it had a capacity of 6,302 beds in 37 listed hotels and approximately 10 thousand beds when aparthotels were included.
  • The coastline of Varosha is 8 kilometers and the closed area of Varosha covers an area of ​​6.4 square kilometers.
  • The world's first 5-star hotel owned by the British Royal Family is located here, which is said to have reservations until 2011, had gold taps and used to accommodate many celebrities. It is said that when the war broke out, customers ran from the beach with their towels and slippers and even the manager committed suicide. The hotel beach wassprinkled with white sand and gold dust brought from Africa.
  • A bank - said to contain millions of dollars - is counted and reported every month under UN control.
  • On the JFK Boulevard, such quality hotels like the King George Hotel, The Florida Hotel, Argo Hotel, also the Leonidas Street was the heart of where entertainment life beats.
  • Luxury car galleries were found such as Ferrari, Lomborgini and Jaguar.
  • The house of a famous painter named Xantos, known for his neck-bent human paintings, is located on the shore of Derinya.
  • It is mentioned that a hotel has a tragic story that could not be opened even though it was opening in a few days.
  • Immediately after 1974, unfinished bookswith open pages unfinished dinner on plates, and many sad life stories are mentioned.
  • • During the January-June 1974 period, 713 thousand 455 out of a total of 1 million 334 thousand 490 touristic accommodations were materialised in the Famagusta region.
  • In 1974, in Turkey the total tourist bed capacity was under 10 thousand in general. Today, only 36 years later we can reach the total tourist beds in the TRNC is a total of 16 thousand 597. Of the 680 thousand 347 touristic accommodations that took place throughout the TRNC during the January-June 2010 period, only 49 thousand 785, or 7 percent, werematerialised in Famagusta.Sophia Sophia Loren had a house in Varosha
  • Many materials of the Golden Sand (GS) hotel have been used for many years to meet needs of the army.
  • It is recorded in the Evkaf records that the total number of foundations in Varosha is 4,657 acres, of which 6,611 acres belong to the Abdullah Paşa Foundation. Other owner foundations are; Mazbut Lala Mustafa Paşa Foundation and appendant Bilal Ağa Foundation. In the opinion of evkaf, all of Varosha is the property of the Foundation. Evkaf is the legal owner of Varosha. The goods of the foundation cannot be sold, donated or transferred.
  • In 1960, the Turkish Cypriot Administration community leaders Dr. Küçük and Rauf Raif Denktaş were paid £ 1.5 million by the British Government. There are two opinions on this issue. According to the first claim, this fee was paid for the exchange and sale of the properties of the Foundation. According to the second opinion, this amount was paid to compensate for the grievances arising from years of neglect and low-rent rents in foundation properties.
  • There are many goods and properties belonging to foreign capital in Varosha. In accordance with the resolution of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, it is not possible to achieve any result by excluding real property and rights holders. According to the UN resolution No. 550 in 1984, attempts to relocate anyone in the area prior to 1974 is not accepted.
  • In the ceasefire agreement with the UN, 13 August 1974, Varosha controlled evacuated. Settlement in Varosha has ended. In the UN-controlled area, 6 apartments were provided for military use.
  • Greek snipers bombed the Turks from the top of a hotel in the region known as Laguna today. After these incidents, Turkish fighter planes bombed this building and divided it into two.
  • It is estimated to be a city of 100 billion dollars.
  • Although the vertical construction on the coastline offers the option of rooms with sea view and seafront, it has a view that prevents sunlight as an example of distorted construction.
  • It is said that Sophia Loren had a house in Varosha and requested from Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit to return back after 1974, but this was not accepted under the conditions of that period.
  • Tourism paradise Varosha is know to host such celebrities as Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Paul Newman (Exodus film), Raquel Welch, Sophia Loren and Brigitte Bardot.

From the tourism paradise, to the ghost town Varosha - the forbidden city Varosha

The ghost town of Varosha (Forbidden City Varosha) is a city that cannot be easily spared from its influence with its past stories and testimonies that are both true and legendary.

Should Varosha be Las Vegas?Or should it be re-planned according to the new conditions of tourism, which is a peace sector? After the recent developments, it is understood that we will continue to talk about Varosha, which we have spoken for half a century and has left its mark on the tourism history of our country.

Last word, GHOST CITY LOSES, LIVING CITY WINS!