Description of the attraction
The Kyrenia Gate was one of three passages through the fortress walls that surrounded the old city of Nicosia. The gate got its name due to the fact that the road leading to Kyrenia, or Girne, as this city is also called, began behind them. They were built in 1562 and were one of the most honorable entrances, which is why they were called Del Providetore, which means "governor's". However, for the most part, this entrance was used by ordinary peasants and traders, who every morning waited for it to open in order to get to the city, where they sold their goods - vegetables, fruits, fish, game, pottery, etc. A fee was charged for passing through the gate, and it was different for those who came by carriage or carriage, and for those who walked.
It is noteworthy that the Kyrenia Gate is many times a smaller copy of the city gate of Beijing - its creator, architect Savornioni, designed it based on the drawings of the famous traveler Marco Polo who visited China.
In 1821, on the initiative of Sultan Mahmud II, the first serious repair of the gate was carried out, and at the beginning of the 20th century, when Nicosia was under British rule, the gate was almost completely reconstructed - part of the fortress wall had to be dismantled in order to expand the entrance. To this day, only the arch and the room where the guard was once located have remained from the gate. In addition, going up to the second floor of the gate, you can get to the fortress wall itself, from where the surroundings are clearly visible.
Currently, the building houses a tourist information office, where you can learn about the most interesting places in Nicosia.
