Conservation design works for the historic church of St George of the Greeks in Famagusta are now underway, according to an announcement by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Representatives from UNDP, the project’s design team, the bicommunal technical committee on cultural heritage and its advisory board recently held a joint site meeting to assess the monument’s conservation needs and establish priorities for the next phase of the design process.
Project managers, local stakeholders and members of the community also attended the meeting, which focused on identifying the requirements necessary for the preservation and future safeguarding of the landmark.
St George of the Greeks is one of the most significant medieval monuments in Famagusta and served as the cathedral of the city’s Orthodox community during the late Lusignan and Venetian periods. Built in the 14th century, it is considered one of the finest examples of the rare Franco-Byzantine architectural style, combining Gothic elements with traditional Byzantine design.
The church was constructed in the Greek quarter of medieval Famagusta, at a time when the city was one of the eastern Mediterranean’s most important trading centres. Historians believe it was built partly as a counterpart to the nearby Latin cathedral of St Nicholas, reflecting the prominence of the Orthodox community despite the island’s Frankish rulers.
The monument suffered extensive damage during the Ottoman siege of Famagusta in 1571, and traces of cannon fire can still be seen on the structure today.
The project is being carried out by the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, with funding from the European Union and implementation by the United Nations Development Programme.
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