The remarkable narthex, when its sculptured panels of Pentelic marble, remains as it was when built by Arc Bishop John de Polo in 1326. The construction of this magnificent building was started in 1209 and was partially completed by 1326. Precisely in the middle of Nicosia stands its noblest and most arresting monument, Selimiye Mosque, once the cathedral of the Lusignan kings and now the chief mosque of North Cyprus.
A product of the best French work of the thirteenth century, harmonious in its proportions and beautiful in its ornament, this glorious building dominates not only the town but the entire vicinity, while its twin minarets, rising slender and graceful from two unfinished Gothic towers, embody in this combination the very essence of the Latin East and with the inclusion of the minarets, the Ottoman architecture. It is strongly advised that visitors take the opportunity to visit this masterplace. |
|
