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. This means that the buffer zone, which is also known as the ‘green line’, which separates the Republic of Cyprus from the Turkish-occupied northern part of the island, runs straight through Ledra Street.
A HISTORICAL CENTRE OF COMMERCE
Ledra Street has historically been a centre of commerce. It is the busiest shopping street in Nicosia, offering several boutiques, bars, restaurants, and art cafés. The adjacent centuries-old, narrow streets lead to the most lively part of the old city. The whole area always seems to come alive with activity.
A STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE
During the struggle for the island’s independence that began in 1955, Ledra Street acquired the informal nickname of the ‘Murder Mile’. This was in reference to the frequent targeting of British soldiers by nationalist fighters. They would often take pot shots at the British military along the course of the length of the street.
THE BEGINNING OF SEPERATION
Cyprus was eventually granted independence from Great Britain in the summer of 1960. A new Republic of Cyprus was formed, and a new coalition government, made up of both Greek and Turkish Cypriot representatives, took control. Hostilities, however, between the two communities came to a head in 1963. This occurred after 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. This saw several Turkish Cypriot communities withdraw to form their own enclaves across the whole island. The Turkish Cypriot community of Nicosia followed suit and withdrew to the northern part of the city.
THE BEGINNING OF SEPERATION
The whole northern part of Nicosia became one of the several Turkish Cypriot-controlled enclaves that were formed throughout the island at the time. This directly led to the blockading of Ledra Street, which was then patrolled by both communities.
THE BUFFER ZONE
After the Turkish invasion and then occupation of Cyprus in 1974, a buffer zone was established across the island. This buffer zone, which is also known as the ‘Green Line’, today still separates the illegal, unrecognised northern-controlled Turkish part of the island from the legal and recognised Greek-controlled Republic of Cyprus in the south. This meant that both communities remained separated for a total of 34 years until April 3rd 2008. This was when the Ledra Street crossing was established. Although the buffer zone still currently splits Ledra Street in two, people can, at least today, legally cross over from either the north or the south of the island.
