Haydarpasha Mosque
After St. Sophia, it is the most notable Lusignan building
in Nicosia.
Historian
Sir Harry Luke describes it as the most elegant and perfect
Gothic building in Cyprus. The St. Catherine church was built
in the fourteenth century and converted into a mosque after
the Ottomans gained control of the island.
Long,
narrow Gothic windows have been placed between the pedestals
which get narrower as they approach the ceiling. The top parts
of the windows are ornamented with geometic designs. The church
has three entrances: the fine masonry of the Gothic south
entrance and the carvings of the Lusignan insignias on its
frame are notable features.
The
west entrance is larger with the same architecture; its frame
is ornamented with motifs of roses and dragons. The north
entrance is comparatively plain. It is ornamented with the
pattern of a nude woman holding a fish and dragon like effigies.
Inside, there is a chancel, a vestry and a small baptizing
pool.
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