Venetian walls around the island's historic capital
Nicosia is the historic capital of Cyprus, its old centre enclosed by star-shaped Venetian walls. The city has been divided since 1974, and visitors can walk between the two sides through the Ledra Street crossing. The Cyprus Museum holds the island's finest antiquities, and the Laiki Geitonia quarter has restored old houses and tavernas. On the northern side, the Büyük Han caravanserai and the Selimiye Mosque, a converted Gothic cathedral, are highlights.