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Bellapais | |
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Αββαείο Μπελαπάις (Greek); Bellapais / Beylerbeyi -Bellabayıs (Turkish language)(Cypriot Turkish) | |
Coordinates: 35°18′N33°21′E / 35.300°N 33.350°E Coordinates: 35°18′N33°21′E / 35.300°N 33.350°E | |
Country ( de jure ) | Cyprus |
• District | Kyrenia District |
Country ( de facto ) | Northern Cyprus [1] |
• District | Girne District |
Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
Bellapais is a small village in the Kyrenia District in the northern part of Cyprus, about four miles from the town of Kyrenia. It is under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus
The village was the home for some years of Lawrence Durrell, who wrote about life in Cyprus in his book Bitter Lemons . He mentions passing the time drinking coffee under the Tree of Idleness in the village and there are two places which lay claim to being the spot. His book did not identify it completely, and two establishments profit from the name. His house, up a very steep climb, has a plaque on it and one can have the pleasure of returning by a not-quite-so-perpendicular way that passes by old olive presses.
The jewel of the village is Bellapais Abbey or "The Abbey of Peace (from French: Abbaye de la Belle Paix). Built by canons regular of the Premonstratensian Order in the 13th century, it is a most imposing ruin in a wonderful position commanding a long view down to Kyrenia and the Mediterranean Sea.
Most of the monastic buildings surround the cloister. In Britain these would normally be built on the south side of the church so to some extent protect the living quarters from the cold air from the north. At Bellapais, the monastic buildings are on the north, probably to be cooler, although occasionally the lay of the land dictated position.
Kyrenia is a city on the northern coast of Cyprus, noted for its historic harbour and castle. It is under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus.
Kyrenia District is one of the six districts of Cyprus. Its main town is Kyrenia. It is the smallest of Cyprus' districts, and is the only one controlled by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in its entirety.
Kornokipos is a village in the Famagusta District in Cyprus, located on the south eastern side of the Kyrenia Mountains. It is under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus.
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Kazafani or Kazaphani is a village in the Kyrenia District of Cyprus. It is under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus. It was traditionally agricultural village, originally based around the feudal estate of Casal Pifani. This is referenced in the Histoire de l'Île de Chypre by Louis de Mas Latrie on page 510. It is one of the mountain villages that the former Latin inhabitants of Kyrenia Castle were forced into following the Ottoman Conquest of the island, many of their descendants now populating the village. The Monastery of Bellapais has been referred to as the Monastery of Cozzafani, a link that started during the 3rd Crusade. The route that the Crusaders would walk still holds the name 'Crusader Path' today. The origins of the feudal estate (Casal) are from the settling Latin crusaders.
Agios Epiktitos is a village in Cyprus, located 6 km (4 mi) east of Kyrenia. Agios Epiktitos, is under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus.The village was named after an ascetic monk who fled the Saracens in Palestine in the 9th Century and was a colleague of Saint Ambrose of Kyrenia who gave his name to a village close by.
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Trypimeni is a small village in the Famagusta District of Cyprus, located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) north of Marathovounos on the south side of the Kyrenia mountain range. It is under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus.
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Melounta, is a village in the Famagusta District of Cyprus, located 9 km north of Lefkoniko, or Gecitkale, on the south side of the eastern Pentadaktylos mountain range. It is under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus. Agios Nikolaos (Yamacköy) is its neighbour village, situated 500 meters to the East. Melounta is located roughly at the same distance respectively to Northern Cyprus' main cities North Nicosia, Famagusta, and Kyrenia. The vast majority of its approximately 200 inhabitants are Turkish Cypriots, considerably outnumbered by small livestock and chickens.
Agios Nikolaos is a small village in the Famagusta District of Cyprus, located 8 km north of Psyllatos and 1 km west of Melounta, on the south side of the Kyrenia mountain range. It is under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus. Since 1974, it has chiefly been inhabited by Turkish families from the Black Sea city of Trabzon. The former church of Agios Nikolaos has been converted into a mosque.
Bellapais Abbey is the ruin of a monastery built by Canons Regular in the 13th century on the northern side of the small village of Bellapais, now in Turkish-controlled Northern Cyprus, about five kilometres from the town of Kyrenia. The ruin is at an altitude of 220m above sea level, and commands a long view down to Kyrenia and the Mediterranean sea.
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