BUILT TO COMMEMORATE VICTORY OVER NAPOLEON BONAPERTE
A HISTORICAL COEXISTANCE
Built by a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, the ‘Jami Jedid’ Turkish Mosque of Limassol remains a symbol of the Cypriot fighting spirit. It also remains a little-known but valuable monument to the contribution of Cypriots who took part in a great historical event. Regarded as a holy area, the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Anthony lies just metres away from the mosque. This also represents an important legacy of the historical coexistence of the two main Cypriot communities on the island, which once lived in close proximity to each other.
THE JAMI JEDID MOSQUE
THE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAINT ANTHONY
A MONUMENT TO VICTORY
There are several monuments around the world commemorating victories against the once mighty armies of French usurper Napoleon Bonaparte. Few people acknowledge, however, that one was built in Limassol in 1825. Founded by a Turkish Cypriot veteran of war, the Jami Jedid Mosque, situated in the heart of Limassol, commemorates one such victory. Acting as a tribute, the landmark represents a collaboration of Ottoman, Egyptian, and Cypriot forces that stood firm against the odds. These men proudly took on and defeated the might of the French Emperor’s armies at the siege of Acre.
THE SEIGE OF ACRE
In March 1799, after taking Jaffa, Napoleon’s armies approached the walls of Acre. Supplied by British reinforcements from the sea, the fortified defences of the city proved impregnable. Acre’s defences held firm, and Napoleon was eventually repelled. Amongst the ranks of the defenders was an infantryman known as Haji Ibrahim Agha Koprulu. The young Cypriot, facing adversity, made a promise that if he returned from the war unharmed, he would build a new mosque as a tribute to his faith. After helping to defeat the French, he promptly returned to Cyprus safely and immediately set about fulfilling his vow.
THE NEW MOSQUE
Haji Ibrahim chose to build his new mosque near his home in Limassol. The area that he chose at the time was one of the most vibrant, cosmopolitan Turkish-Cypriot quarters on the island. The bustling, well-populated neighbourhood had several apartment blocks, warehouses, shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. Limassol’s new place of worship was completed in 1825 and it became known as ‘the new mosque’.Â
AN IMPORTANT LANDMARK
The mosque, built along the eastern side of the Garallis River, soon became an important religious and cultural centre for muslims across the island. Regarded as a holy area, Greek Cypriots constructed the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Anthony on the opposite side of the river a few years later. A wooden bridge, connecting the two holy sites, was also later erected over the river. This not only linked the two holy sites, but also the two communities.Â
THE GREAT FLOOD OF 1894
The great flood of 1894 saw the Garallis River burst its banks. The impending flood caused severe damage to the mosque, and the wooden bridge was swept away by the rushing water. The mosque then lay in ruins for the next fifteen years until 1909. The mosque was then restored to its former glory. As a tribute, the grounds of the mosque were also used as a fitting burial ground for its founder, Haji Ibrahim Agha Koprulu.Â
