Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, one of the oldest cities in the Eastern Mediterranean with a population of around 315,000, is today a sophisticated and cosmopolitan city, rich in history and culture that combines its historic past with the amenities of a modern city.
As part of its continuous effort to provide the capital and its residents with better facilities and services and improve the living conditions of its citizens, Nicosia Municipality has introduced various programmes to help revitalize this divided city and is embarking on different projects to achieve its long-term goals.
Nicosia remains to this day the last divided capital in Europe, with the “Green Line” splitting its heart in two.
The heart of the city, within the 16th century Venetian walls, has a number of interesting museums and art galleries, Byzantine churches and numerous medieval and neo-classical buildings. The narrow streets retain the romantic atmosphere of the past. Much of the charm and beauty of Nicosia is to be found in the old city with its labyrinthine alleyways and elegant courtyard houses. Outside the walls, the new city with its modern facilities is a cosmopolitan centre of a modern European capital.
In April 2008, a crossing point to and from the island’s northern Turkish occupied areas opened at Ledra street, one of the capital’s main commercial streets, to facilitate movement between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
The municipality of Nicosia is now headed by the Mayor Eleni Mavrou, the first woman Mayor in Nicosia, and its Council comprises 26 councilors, one of whom is the Deputy Mayor.
In the past few years Nicosia has seen remarkable progress regarding its infrastructure. Many projects have been completed, some of them are underway and others are to start in the months ahead.
One of the most important projects, currently in progress, is the revamp of the capital’s central square Eleftheria Square, a Nicosia benchmark.
Eleftheria Square –the name translates as Freedom Square- is a major square in central Nicosia. It is located in the centre of the town below the Venetian walls of the medieval city. Nicosia town hall, located on D’ Avila bastion, overlooks the square. The city’s mayor, Eleni Mavrou, has described the space as “the most important link between the historic centre and the contemporary city”.
Work is scheduled to begin in January of 2011 and will finish in two years.
According to the Mayor, the aim is for D’ Avila Bastion to finish a bit earlier, to coincide with the six-monthly EU rotating presidency, which Cyprus will assume in the second half of 2012.
The project was designed by distinguished British Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, a winner of numerous international competitions.
Hadid’s plans include restoring the old wall and creating a palm tree lined pedestrian walk alongside it. The existing moat below the wall will become a green “necklace”, envisioned as Nicosia’s main public park. The moat will also be altered topographically to make it more accessible from the surrounding streets.
The new design, Hadid has said, will do more than just connect places. “The opening up of the moat and its redesign will provide a room in the city for people to move freely, the evolution of a place didn't just depend on its design, but on the people too.”
The architectural plans, according to Mayor Eleni Mavrou, provide for the emergence of the archeological site in the area, the formation of green sites, parks, gardens and ponds, and of sites suitable for cultural events, such as concerts and theatrical shows.
Another ongoing project is the formation of the bus terminal in Solomou Square, near Eleftheria Square. Work started in July this year and will be finished in 12 months with a total cost of more than 4 million euro.
Mavrou described the passenger terminal in the heart of the capital as “a project of vital importance for the historical centre of Nicosia and the improvement of public transport”.
The bus station includes separate lanes for buses and private vehicles, a covered central island as a waiting point, and new pedestrian crossings. An information desk will be built to provide passengers with all the important information regarding bus routes and stations.
The first phase will last three months and will include new bus lanes and six news bus stops. The second phase will be completed in two stages over the next 12 months.
The Municipality of Nicosia is also introducing bicycle lanes, a project that will expand to other Municipalities – Aglantzia, Stovolos, Dhali, Agios Dometios and Latsia. The project includes an automated renting system of bicycles, found in most European cities. Nicosia Municipality renting system will consist of 5 bicycle stations with a total of 100 bicycles. Each station will cost 19,000 euro. The bicycles will be of the latest technology and will be available for renting as of this Fall. No decision has been made for the cost of hiring a bicycle but according to officials from the Municipality, the rental will be free of charge for some specific hours of the day. The bicycle stations will be joined with the bicycle lanes spread around the capital as well as near the University of Cyprus Aglantzia campus.
A bus lane and foot walk will also be built connecting the Presidential Palace and the Pedieos river. The project will cost more than two million euro and will finish in 18 months. The bus lane will have a total length of 2,6 kilometers and will stretch from the Presidential Palace to the Ministry of Health (near Pedieos area).
Pedieos area is, along with Athalassa Park in Aglantzia municipality, two of the most important green sites in the capital. Pedieos river is of great ecological importance.
Mayor Eleni Mavrou has reassured that the development which will take place will comply with commitments set out by the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment. The new project, will also include wooden bridges, playgrounds and resting/picnic sites.
Nicosia Municipality is also launching a 4-year project to revive the Green Line area. The project basically aims to give incentives to businessmen to take action and open up new business and/or stimulate old ones which are situated in the centre of the old city of Nicosia, the Kaimakli area, as well as in the areas of Agios Dometios/Agios Pavlos, near the Green line, which divides the capital.
The four year project will cost 3 million euro. So far, approximately 49 people have applied for the programme.
According to Mayor Eleni Mavrou revitalising the above areas will not only be beneficiary for aesthetic reasons, but it will also help the economy and boost competition.
Part of the efforts made by the Municipality to provide better and more services to the citizens is the operation of a Centre, in the heart of the city, as a non governmental organization. It was founded by the Municipality and is housed in a 19th century building used by the British colonial soldiers as a military camp.
The Centre hosts concerts and theatre performances. It also plays another important role as a Day Care centre for the elderly and children of immigrant families. It currently accommodates 21 children, aged 5 to 12 years old who are transfer there by bus provided by Nicosia Municipality. The children can stay at the Center until 5.30 in the afternoon and are provided with a main meal as well as teaching facilities, at a very low cost.
It also serves as a meeting/teaching place for immigrants. Greek language lessons as well as computer lessons are provided. Last year a total number of 30 people attended lessons.
The Centre can accommodate around 70 senior citizens per day. Currently, only 50 people visit the Centre daily, 21 of whom are escorted there by special tenders or nurses. The Municipality also provides home care for the elderly or special escorts/nurses. Three special nurses are currently employed although the needs are growing.
The elderly participate in special programmes such as culinary, handicraft and dancing. The Centre also provides a health officer who comes in once a week and examines residents.
In the future, the Centre will serve as a daily care centre for children who belong to single parent families. The programme named “Rainbow” is funded by the Norwegian government and the services for the first year will be provided free of charge.
As of 2008, Nicosia Municipality has also incorporated in its programmes, the Community Service Program, aiming at people who have been convicted of minor crimes. Participants to this service offer their services three times a week, in the Cleaning and Landscape Departments of Nicosia Municipality.
Mayor Eleni Mavrou has announced that future projects for the capital include a special mental counseling programme, with doctors and nurses providing services, and specialized seminars for parenting, youth issues, drugs and other social concerns.
Some of the other projects that are in progress or under consideration include a new archeological museum, a cultural centre, a new Town Hall and a new Cathedral in the old part of the city.
The new Town Hall will be completed in two phases. The first phase will finish the first few months of 2012 and it will include the main municipal offices and service facilities. It is estimated that the cost will rise to more than 11 million euro. The second phase will start in December 2010 and will include a complex of four buildings.
The Mayor has said that the construction of the new Town Hall in the historic centre of the capital aims at the revival of the area and the encouragement of residents and owners to restore their old properties.
The new archeological museum will be built at close proximity to its current location. The present building of the archeological museum dates back to 1908. According to the plans, the new building will finish no later than 2016 and it will rehouse all the archeological treasures now located in the old Museum.
The new Cultural Centre will open its doors in 2012. It is considered to be one of the most important cultural projects in the capital. It will consist of a hall which will be able to host 1,400 people, a concert hall of 500 seats, a library, workshops, galleries, a cafe/restaurant, an amphitheatre and a big parking lot for 600 vehicles.
Future plans for Nicosia Municipality also include the construction of the new Cathedral, to be built in the old part of the city, in the grounds of the Archbishopric.
