Districts of Cyprus - Nicosia Nicosia, known locally as Lefkosia, is the capital and largest city of Cyprus. Nicosia is located at 35�10' north, 33�21' east (35.1667, 33.35). There have recently been some moves to use the Greek name Lefkosia as the official English name, but this has not been generally accepted. Located on the Pedieos river and situated roughly in the centre of the island, it is the seat of government as well as the main business centre. Nicosia is the center of an administrative district, after the fall of the Berlin Wall and it is currently the only divided capital city in the world, with the northern (Turkish) and southern (Greek) portions divided by the "Green Line", a demilitarized zone maintained by the United Nations, although unlike Cold War East and West Berlin, few use the terms North Nicosia and South Nicosia. The 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of 36 % of the island's territory literally cut the capital in half. The Turkish Cypriots use it as capital of occupied area, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is a state not recognized by any country in the world, except Turkey It has a population of 206.200 (end of 2001) in the sector controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus,, which means that over a quarter of the Republic's people live in the capital. At least three quarters of the city population live in the 'Greek' part, which is controlled by the Republic of Cyprus. Nicosia is a modern, dynamic capital with lots of shops, restaurants and entertainment The city is a trade centre and manufactures textiles, leather, pottery, plastic, and other products. Copper mines are nearby. Nicosia is the seat of the University of Cyprus (UCY). Although the city has been destroyed more than once by conquerors, there are still enough leftovers to enjoy the past. History is most strikingly experienced at the Venetian city wall, which was constructed between 1567 and 1570. The 4,5 metres thick wall used to have three gates. The Famagusta gate is now used as cultural centre. Some other parts of the wall contain administration offices. The historical centre is clearly present inside the walls, but the modern city has grown beyond. The heart of the city is Eleftheria (Freedom) Square, with the city hall, the post office and the library. Adjacent Ledra street leads to the most lively part of the old city with narrow streets, boutiques, and caf�s. Agia Fanomereni is a church built in 1872, constructed with the remains of an old castle and a convent. Here rest the Archbishop and the other Bishops who were killed by the Turks during the 1821 revolt. The Palace of the Archbishop can be found at Arkhiepiskopos Kyprianos Square. Although it seems very old, it's a wonderful imitation of typical Venetian style, built in 1956. Next to the palace is the late gothic Saint John cathedral (1665) with picturesque frescos. Nicosia is also known for its fine museums. The Archbishop's Palace contains a Byzantine museum where you can admire religious icons. Other interesting museums include the Folk Art Museum, National Struggle Museum (witnessing the rebellion against the British administration in the 1950s), Cyprus Museum, and the Handicrafts Centre. As of 2005, Mihalis Zambelas is the mayor of Nicosia, however in the north part of the town, in the sector of the de facto TRNC, the mayor is Kutlay Erk.   History The Greek name of Nicosia, "Lefkosia", probably comes from Lefkos, son of Ptolemy I of Egypt, who rebuilt the city in the 3rd century B.C.. Another probability is that the name originated from the white poplar (lefki) which was abundant in the bed of the city's river. The city also bore the name of Lefkothea - the white goddess.Still known as Lefkosia, the city became the island's capital in the 11th century. It had grown in importance because of threats to the coastal cities Paphos and Salamis, which made many people flee to the centrally located Lefkosia. Known as Ledra or Ledrae in ancient times, the city was the seat of the Lusignan kings of Cyprus since 1192, became a Venetian possession in 1489, and fell to the Turks in 1571. The name "Nicosia" appeared towards the end of the 12th century, when the city was owned and run by the Knights Templar. In fact, it is this period of Frankish (Luisignan) rule that gave rise to the exonym Nicosia. The Crusaders conquerors could not, or did not care, to pronounce the name Kallinikisis, as the city was called at that time, and they tended to say "Nikosia", which they spelled as "Nicosia". In this era of the Franks, the city expanded culturally, while under the Lusignans in the 15th and 16th centuries, the capital saw the erection of a number of palaces, mansions, churches and monasteries. The Ottoman siege of 1570 caused 20,000 casualties, while the 19th century also observed tragedy. The Turks eliminated the 1821 revolt with bloodshed, cholera hit the city in 1835, and fire destroyed large parts of Nicosia in 1857. The British gained control over the island in 1878, leaving Nicosia the colony's capital. Nicosia was the scene of extreme violence in the period just prior to Cypriot independence in 1960. Since the Greek supported coup and Turkish invasion which followed it in 1974, part of the city's northern sector has been inside the boundary of a United Nations buffer zone The tombs of the Lusignan kings are in the former Cathedral of St. Sophia, now a mosque in the northern sector. The core of the city also has well-preserved Venetian fortifications, built in the 16th century, which encircle the old, medieval part of the city.