Melandra Cyprus 2013 Pic heavy

Melandra is an abandoned Turkish Cypriot village in the Paphos District of Cyprus, located 2 km southeast of Lysos. Prior to 1974, the village was inhabited by Turkish Cypriots. The village is completely destroyed. Many thanks to my friend Mike Mccormac who passed away a few months ago for showing me around.



Typical of the Shelling that took place after the UN had left



I have no idea how this is still standing









Mike said he had left the best til last and he wasn't lying. Before the 1974 invasion both Greek & Turkish people lived side by side as they had done in many villages in Cyprus. We hiked up to the top of the road and my jaw hit the floor.



Before me was this, a Greek Orthodox church right next to a Turkish Mosque



It seems impossible that Greek & Turkish could live & worship so close back then







More to follow

How amazing great photos from a forgotten part of the world!

Great shots, I always fancied a look round Famagusta in the north but only visited Greek side and being confronted by machine gun toting and ice cream eating troops was a little unnerving. Thanks for posting.

is that in the exclusion zone between Turkey and Greece?

I didn't do any derpin when I was in Cyprus in 2012. Nice work.

Was the mosque sealed?

TeeJF said:

is that in the exclusion zone between Turkey and Greece?

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No its near Paphos in the mountains

Landie_Man said:

I didn't do any derpin when I was in Cyprus in 2012. Nice work.

Was the mosque sealed?

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No it wasnt, more pics up in a bit. And if you want some pointers for your next visit let me know. some real hidden gems there

As promised more pictures


The old post office & UN lookout house







We pushed the door on the Mosque and it opened, sadly nothing left inside but



nothing left inside, this is where the Altar would have been. Turn to the left.....



And is what would have been where the male worshipers would have gone, the females stay at ground level for some religious reason.
Mike said for the last 20 years he had been there a door had never been open, I tried the door shown



And nothing............... More to follow

Woofem said:

No it wasnt, more pics up in a bit. And if you want some pointers for your next visit let me know. some real hidden gems there

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Likewise lol, I lived in Paphos for 5 years