One of the most important ancient sites in Cyprus, the Famagusta Gate is located in the capital city Nicosia and is the most significant gate of Venetian walls surrounding the city.
The gate once opened on the road leading to the most important part of Cyprus in Famagusta, and that is why it is called today Famagusta Gate. The Nicosia Castle originally had a total of 3 gates. In addition to the Famagusta Gate or Giuliana Gate, there are also Pafos Gate and the Kyrenia Gate.
The gate was originally named "Porta Juliana" in honor of Giulio Savorgnano, the engineer who designed and built the Venetian walls in the 16th century. Throughout the years, the gate became more known as the Famagusta Porta (Gate).
The Famagusta Gate has an impressive façade and an arched passage with a dome room, 10.97 meters in diameter, on the inside. On both sides of the passage, there are rectangular rooms for the guards.
Part of the European Cultural Heritage
Built by the Venetians in 1567 and restored in 1821 by the Ottomans, The Famagusta Gate is one of the most important cultural centers of the Nicosia Municipality. In 1980 the Nicosia Municipality decided to use this monumental space for cultural purposes with all respect for the status and character of the monument. The official opening of the Famagusta Gate Cultural Center was held on June 18, 1981. After the restoration of the Famagusta Gate with its two large halls and its passage, it became the cultural center of Nicosia and since then has become the core of the cultural life of the city. The revival and re-integration of the monumental site of Famagusta Gate were honored by the International Federation of Associations for the Protection of the European Cultural Heritage, with the honorary medal "Europa Nostra".
