THE DUNGEON AND MUSEUM OF NAMIK KEMAL

This two-stroyed hewn stone dungeon was built on the ruins of the Venetian Palace during the Ottoman era in Cyprus. Namik Kemal, a distinguished nationalist poet, spent his thirty-eight months in this dungeon when he was sent into exile on April 9th 1873 soon after first performance of his play "Vatan or Silistire" at Gedik Pasa theatre on April 1st 1873. The ground-floor, with only one vaulted cell, is in shape of a rectangle and it has low arched entrance door which opens on to the courtyard of the Venetian Palace as well as the two windows in the same wall. When Namik Kemal came to Magusa, he first stayed at the groundfloor, but after a while he was taken to the second storey with the permission of the Cyprus Governer, Veyis Pasa. The steep stone stairs at the side of the building take you to the rectangular second storey which has two large windows, a landing in the front, a marble floor and a timbered ceiling. After having been forgiven by Murat V. of June 3rd 1876, Namik Kemal returned to Istanbul on June 29th 1876. Department of Antiquities and Museums, Planning and Restoration Section started the "Restoration and Environmental Organization Project of the Namik Kemal Dungeon Museum" more or less at the beginning of 1993 and completed it within a short period of six months. Organization of the museum was made with the collaboration of the Department of Culture.

THE KERTIKLI BATH

A building to the North of the city constructed by the Ottomans. This bath is notable for its domes. The building comprises six domed rooms, a reservoir covered with a vault, and a section believed to be the dressing room, the ceiling of which has collapsed.

THE PANAYA KANAKARIA CHURCH

Although there is no trace here of the first church thought to have belonged to the early Byzantine period, the second church is believed to have been constructed in the 5th century A.D. or early 6th century. The entrance section is separated into three sections by two rows of columns. The church was destroyed by the Arab pirates in the 8th century. A new one on stilts was constructed but as this one was destroyed as well in an earthquake in 1169, it was reconstructed as a multi-dome church which could only be completed in the 14th century. Some sections of the present church like the capitals of the columns and the apsis belong to the former buildings. The mosaics in the apsis representing Christ as a child sitting in Mary’s lap, surrounded with the archangel and apostles are some of the most noteworthy examples of early Byzantine art. Unfortunately, the part which shows child Christ, St. Mathews, St. James and the archangle is no longer there. The frescoes of the church and the mural of Mary have been made at a later date and restored several times.

THE St. BARNABAS ICON & ARCHAELOGY MUSEUM

The St. Barnabas church has a rich collection of icons mostly dating from the 18th century. The basalt mill in the courtyard is from the Enkomi settlement and the other columns and stones are from Salamis. The rooms where the priests lived have been restored and turned into an archaelogical museum. It is possible to see a variety of works of art from a wide range of historical spectrum from the Neolithic Period to the Roman period. Bronze and marble pieces are also being exhibited at the museum.

THE St.BARNABAS MONASTERY

St. Barnabas, born of a Jewish family in Salamis, returns to Cyprus after his studies in Jerusalem and in 45 A.D. starts to work with St. Paul as a missionary for Christianity. Because of his activities he is killed by his compatriots and his corpse is hidden in a marsh, later to be deposited into the sea. The followers of St.

Barnabas watch the events; they take the corpse to an underground cave to the West of Salamis and bury it there after putting a copy of the Bible made by St. Mathews on his chest. The corpse remains hidden for many years as its whereabouts is known to noone. 432 years later, Bishop Anthemios says he has seen the grave in his dream, and has the place dug. When the grave is opened, St. Barnabas can be identified because of the St. Mathews Bible. After this incident, the bishop goes to Istanbul to inform Emperor Zeno, and gains the autonomy of the Cyprus Church. The emperor makes a donation for a monastery to be built at the location of the grave. The monastery constructed in 477 A.D., consists of a church, a courtyard, and living quarters for priests.

THE TWIN CHURCHES ( Templar & Hospitaller Churces)

The larger of the two churches built in the 14th century belonged to the Knights Templars. When the last grand master and their other leaders were burned as heretics in 1313, the order came to an end and the church was left over to the Knights Hospitalers who owned the adjoining building. The building has been restored and is now being used by the Cyprus Art Society.

VENETIAN PALACE

This is a royal palace built by the Venetians on the ruins of a palace built by the Lusignans in the 13th century. The front which has survived was built in the 16th century and the columns used here were brought from the Salamis ruins. On the arch in the middle there is an insignia belonging to the Venetian ruler Giovanni Reiner.