Karamanzade

Karamanzade is one of the 24 historic quarters within the walls of Nicosia.^[2] During the Ottoman period it was counted as an Armenian quarter.^[3]

Leontios Machairas (1369-1458) and Georgios Boustronios (1430-1501) record that the Armenian Quarter of Nicosia was located near the gate of St. Dominic (now Paphos Gate) in 15th century, during the Lusignan Kingdom of Cyprus.^[18] After the Ottoman conquest of Nicosia in 1570, an Ottoman Firman (decree) issued on 15 May 1571, gave what is now the Armenian church to the Armenian community.^[19] During Ottoman rule, starting with the 1572 census, there was a quarter recorded as "Ermeniyan Mahalle" (in Turkish), i.e. Armenian Quarter, alongside Karamanzade and the 1831 census it is recorded that one was 100% Armenian and the other 100% moslem.^[6][7][8] Nicosia was divided into Mahalles or quarters, each of which was composed of co-religionists concentrated around their place of worship. The Armenians had their own quarter, which was in the western-most part of the city, adjacent to Paphos Gate. Armenians and Turks lived mixed together in Karamanzade - the area next to Paphos gate, each belonging to their own administrative quarter, but inhabiting the same part of the city.^[20] This geographical area was in 1831 around 70% Armenian. This is also reflected in the later British census figures for Karamanzade.

After the Cyprus crisis of 1963–64 the Armenian community (most of the population) was expelled from the area.^[21]

The most important buildings in quarter are the Armenian Church of the Holy Mother of God, the Holy Cross church and Dukkanlar Onou Mosque.^[3]

From 1989, the area has been undergoing restoration as part of the Nicosia Master Plan. In particular, the Armenian Church conservation work started in 2007. The church dates from the 14th century. Originally part of a Benedictine monastery, then a salt store, it was allocated to the Armenians after the Ottoman conquest.^[19] Although the plan refers to the Arab Ahmet neighbourhood, the restoration work covers both the Arab Ahmet quarter and the adjacent Karamanzade quarter, where the church is located.^[22]

This was the mosque of the Karamanzade quarter.^[3] Originally a Venetian secular building, after the Ottoman conquest of Cyprus, the building was converted to a mosque. The building was renovated by Said Mehmed Agha in 18th century. It had an outsized minaret, but this was demolished in 1952 as it was in a dangerous condition.^[23] From 2011, the Evkaf Administration of Cyprus, began restoration of the mosque and a new shorter minaret has been built.^[24]

Unlike the above two buildings, the Church of the Holy Cross escaped abandonment during the Cyprus crisis of 1963–64 and the Turkish invasion of 1974. However part of the access was blocked towards Victoria Street.

The original Roman Catholic Holy Cross church was built in 1642 but was replaced in April 1900, partly funded by the Spanish Royal Family and opened again in 1902.^[25] The western side of the chapel of 1642 still exists, but the east end was removed to enable the construction of the larger building in 1900.^[3]

The original Paphos Gate was closed by the British when they made the new opening at the side through the ramparts in 1879.^[3] This forms the entrance to the quarter from outside the walled city. The north side of the street is in Karamanzade and the south side in Ayios Andreas (Tophane).