Famagusta Gate & Venetian Walls
The grandest of the three gates in Nicosia's 16th-century Venetian walls, now a cultural centre at the edge of the old town.
Photo: A.Savin / Wikimedia Commons, FAL
In 1567 the Venetians ringed Nicosia with a circle of walls and eleven heart-shaped bastions that still define the old town. The Famagusta Gate, originally Porta Giuliana, was the main eastern entrance. Its long vaulted passage now hosts exhibitions, concerts and events run by the municipality.
The streets around it, in the Chrysaliniotissa and Kaimakli area, are some of the most characterful in the city, with restored stone houses and small galleries.
Good to know
The gate is free to see from outside, and opening hours inside depend on events. Walk along the moat park for a sense of the walls' scale.
Perks nearby
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Nicosia: more places
All places in Nicosia →
Cyprus MuseumThe island's oldest and largest archaeological museum, tracing 11,000 years of Cypriot history from Neolithic idols to Roman marble.
Shacolas Tower ObservatoryA museum and observation deck high above Ledra Street, with a 360-degree view across the divided capital and the Kyrenia mountains.
Byzantine Museum (Archbishop Makarios III Foundation)One of the finest collections of Byzantine icons in the world, housed beside the Archbishop's Palace in old Nicosia.