Varosha – Forbidden Place, Frozen In Time

Since 1974, the northern and southern parts of Cyprus have been divided by the "Green Line," a UN buffer zone that splits the country into the Greek-controlled south and the Turkish-controlled north. The division happened amid much violence: after the Greek military junta

backed a coup against the Cypriot government, Turkey invaded Cyprus from the north, forcibly expelling hundreds of thousands of Greek Cypriots and driving them south. Turkish Cypriots in the south abandoned their homes and headed north.

In the early '70s, Famagusta, a town two miles north of the Green Line, was the top tourist destination in Cyprus. Its beachside Varosha quarter, dotted with high-rise hotels, played host to moneyed movie stars like Elizabeth Taylor and Brigitte Bardot. In the wake of the Turkish invasion, its 39,000 residents fled, and Varosha became a ghost town. It has remained enclosed in barbed wire, uninhabited, and under the control of the Turkish military ever since. 

Just a few feet north of the fenced-off zone is the Arkin Palm Beach Hotel, a newly renovated resort where visitors can sip Caribbean-inspired cocktails beside the lagoon-shaped pool while gazing at the crumbling balconies of the decayed resort next door.

Varosha is a ghost town. In the 1970s, this town was one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world, home to 40,000 people. To go with the flow of all the new tourists, many high-rise buildings and hotels became available. Elizabeth Taylor and many other celebrities visited the town. The rich and famous flocked to its vibrant lifestyle and perfect beaches by the dozens.

Now, many of the buildings are falling apart. Plants are taking root in walls and pavement. Sea turtles are nesting on its deserted beaches. Trees are sprouting through living rooms.

Varosha’s inhabitants fled during the Turkish invasion in 1974. The Turkish took control of the town, and it is still abandoned to this day.

No one from the public can step foot inside. The only people allowed access are Turkish military and United Nations’ staff. Soldiers must obey orders to shoot on-sight anyone who tries to breach its gates. No photos and movies allowed.

If you were to take a peek at the town now, you would see car dealerships still stocked with 1974 cars. A city frozen-in-time