A HISTORICAL CENTRE OF DOMESTIC COMMERCE
LEDRA STREET COVERING
THE LEDRA STREET CROSSING
A WORTHY VISIT!
A HISTORIC MONUMENT
Ledra Street, situated in the heart of the old city of Nicosia, is a historic monument in its own right. Covering about 1 km in length, it connects both the south and northern parts of the old town within the old city. Ledra Street today, however, is split into two by the buffer zone, which is also known as the ‘green line’.
A HISTORICAL CENTRE OF COMMERCE
This street has historically been a centre of commerce. It is the busiest shopping street in the capital city of Cyprus, offering several boutiques, bars, and art cafés. The adjacent centuries-old, narrow streets also lead to the most lively part of the old city.
A STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE
During the struggle for the island’s independence that began in 1955, Ledra Street acquired the informal nickname the ‘Murder Mile’. This was in reference to the frequent targeting of the British soldiers by nationalist fighters along the course of the length of the street.
THE BEGINNING OF SEPERATION
In 1963, Turkish Cypriots withdrew to the northern part of Nicosia, creating their own enclave. Ledra Street, along with several others, was blockaded after the outbreak of hostilities between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities across the island. Greek Cypriot leaders attempted to make amendments to the relatively new Cypriot Constitution. Turkish Cypriot leaders did not accept the changes, and they were compelled to veto and eventually boycott the coalition government. The whole northern part of Nicosia eventually became one of the several Turkish Cypriot-controlled enclaves that were formed throughout the island at the time.
THE BUFFER ZONE
After the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, a buffer zone was established across the island. This buffer zone, which is also known as the ‘Green Line’, still separates the northern-controlled Turkish part of the island from the Greek-controlled Republic of Cyprus in the south. The buffer zone currently splits Ledra Street in two. The Ledra Street crossing was opened on April 3rd 2008. This allows people to legally cross over from either the north or the south of the island.
