Varosha (Famagusta)

Wasn't too sure where to post this topic as its more of general interest but because of the military nature of the subject I have done so here.

Varosha in the destrict of Famagusta in Cyprus (Turkish controlled zone) is a abandoned town which since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 has been closed off to all, except those in the Turkish military and United Nation Personal. Everything in the town is as how it was left. There's still clothes on the rails from shops, cars left where they were abandoned and hotel funiture all untouched since 1974.

Recently (so we were told) there had been a rise in military movement around this area, in which the Turkish military had decided to move their boarder control outpost a few hundred yards towards the British outpost. There seemed to be alot of tension between the two sides but with the amount of fire power avalible to either side this was understandable.

Now as described the public are not allowed accesss to the town. However you can gain access to a small area of beach, with the only two buildings left of the town, one of which is now a hotel and the other a make shift bar.

I must add that for some reason the Turkish government had decided to ban all photography in this area, whether due to their embrasement of the situation or something else I'm not sure. However I managed to take a few snaps without the guards in the watch-towers and the ones patroling the beach seeing me. I hope they are of interest to you all.

One of the many Hotel's overlooking the beach.




Another Hotel. Note the graffiti, which I pursume has been there since 1974.




The "Green Line". Cross this and the use of deadly force is authorized according to some of the signs.




This picture gives you some sense of the size of the closed off area.





Chris.