History of Famagusta

An account of the events of 1974

We left in the morning of the 14th of August 1974. It was Wednesday when the second invasion of Attila begun and the defensive line at Mias Milias fell. When the news broke out, and following orders from the military headquarters, the Director of the Hospital called for the immediate transfer of the Hospital to the nearby village of Frenaros. The news spread in a matter of minutes, from mouth to mouth and from house to house and everyone started to move towards Dekeleia, convinced they would return to their homes in the evening once the situation had deflated. Turkish military troops moved in and bombarded the city relentlessly, as well as the beachfront and hospital.

Ruins and dead bodies in Famagusta following the invasion / Photo by Doros Partasides

It was an immense loss for the 40.000 inhabitants of Famagusta who became refugees in their own country. They had lost their land, their properties, their homes and businesses and many of their own people. After a couple of days spent in tents at the British sovereign bases, the people moved southwards in search of a new life. Many Famagustians settled in Limassol and Laranaca. Others went to Paphos. Others still had no option but to go overseas in search of a better future to support their broken families.

Children of War / Photo by Doros Partasides

Our city is like we left it

My neighborhood is built in the sand
Its roots are in the sea
My neighborhood
I unbury every night
But each time, it buries itself again
Polyvios Nikolaou, from the poetry collection Famagusta /82

Expatriated and uprooted Famagustians worked very hard, both in Cyprus and abroad to make a living. They developed new businesses and raised their children in the hope that soon again they would be able to return to their home town. Most Famagustians settled in Limassol and it is there that they built the Municipality of Famagusta from scratch, elected a new Mayor and waited for better days to come.

The past 33 years

The people of Famagusta left their homes on the morning of the 14th of August 1974. Ever since, their determination to return home has become synonymous to their own survival. During the past 33 years there have been endless political discussions, rounds of tradeoff negotiations and many efforts to return the city of Famagusta to its lawful owners. Much ink has also been spilt on the Anan Plan and its provision that the city be returned to its lawful citizens 100 days after the mutual acceptance of the Plan. However, the Plan was rejected by the overwhelming majority of the Greek Cypriot people and is now considered History.

During all these years, women marches have been organised, the first of these dating from 1976 in the presence of the unforgettable Melina Mercouri. Many other events were organised throughout the years. The Famagusta Refugee Movement, the Famagusta Committee and other similar initiatives have all tried to mobilize resources and expose the problem of Famagusta to the wider public and particularly to international forums and institutions, on the basis of international law, human rights and the numerous U.N Resolutions on the Cyprus Question.

The last 100 years before time stood still in 1974

During the early days of British Rule, Famagusta was the fourth biggest city in Cyprus, only slightly larger than Paphos. In a short span of 100 years however, it grew into a prosperous and modern city, numbering 40.000 inhabitants by 1974. It was an important commercial and tourism-oriented city that was vibrant in every respect. If one adds the great numbers of tourists that visited the city during the hot summer months then the people moving to and from Famagusta could easily reach 60.000.

What were the driving forces behind this remarkably dynamic and economically prosperous city?

Famagusta was the capital of the second largest province of Cyprus both in terms of its population and surface area. This was an important factor as the city accommodated the administrative authorities of the whole province, covering the needs of 124,000 people in 1973. Moreover, the establishment of British military bases in Cyprus during the 1950’s and the subsequent settlement of British families on the island, and primarily in Famagusta, generated an important source of income for the city, at a time when traditional sectors of the economy grew only at a slow rate.There were however, other, more important reasons behind the city’s prosperity. The cultivation of citrus fruit, the rich and fertile mainland, the port, tourist and industrial sectors were perhaps the most significant contributors to the city’s economic dynamism.

Source: Famagusta Municipality website

History Links (Famagusta Municipality website)

• Enkomi 16th -12th centuries B.C
• Alasia
• Salamis 11th cent. B.C -3rd cent. A.D
• Arsinoe
• Constantia
• Arrival of Christianity
• The Arab raids and the destruction of Salamis
• Famagusta
• Franks 1191-1489
• The destruction of the town by the Genoese 1374-1464
• Venetian Rule
• Ottoman rule
• British Rule 1878-1960