In the 3rd century BC the town was founded by the Egyptians and it was indeed a town of some significance, but until the abandonment of the city kingdom of Salamis in AD648 its population was not great. It wasn’t until around 1291 that the town became particularly prosperous...following an influx of Christian refugees from the Holy Land the town benefited from the demographic lift and grew to become the most wealthy and successful city in the Eastern Mediterranean as previously mentioned. It also became an important trading centre because it benefited from a harbour with naturally deep waters.
As a result of the opulence of the city so many churches belonging to the different religions inhabiting the city sprang up across Famagusta and at one stage it was reported there were as many churches as there were days in the year! Unfortunately the city’s fortunes began to change for the worst in 1372 when it was seized by the Genoese, and they further deteriorated following the Ottoman invasion and capture in 1571.
The site that visitors behold today of a town in partial ruins with destruction and half finished buildings, broken churches and half standing houses is mainly as a result of the Ottoman siege.
During the 1960s and 1970s the town was a booming tourist town; it was one of the most desirable destinations in Cyprus and in fact on the Mediterranean. It held great attraction for local Cypriots as well and it was inhabited by both Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Following the conflict in 1974 the city’s tourist industry was completely destroyed, the city’s beach that was the main draw for the crowds who visited the town was actually closed and the residents of the town were forced to once again rebuild their lives.
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