2022-2023
TRNC, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, fills the northern third of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, and remains legally unrecognised for the past 49 years, since the civil war in 2074.
Despite a bewildering array of rules and sanctions, the TRNC continues to function normally, it borrows a postcode from neighbouring Mersin in Turkey, the only country to officially recognise TRNC's sovereignty, and tourists from around the world are welcome to visit.
Officially still at war with the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member state, and the southern two thirds of the island, they remain physically divided by a UN buffer zone, a web of fences, and armed men on both sides. Psychologically too, there are barriers, with many still unable to forgive or forget about the war of 1974, scared and intolerant of those on the other side of the wire.
In recent years, there has been a political movement amongst some Cypriots to unite the island, through platforms such as UniteCyprusNow, and others, although politicians didn't reach an agreement, and Cyprus continues to be a pawn in a political game between Greece and Turkey, as and when needed domestically.
On the side of a mountain in Northern Cyprus, high enough that Greek Cypriots can see, Turkish soldiers made a painted stone flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (right), next to a star and crescent, and the words, “Ne mutlu Türküm diyene” - meaning “Happy is the one who calls themselves a Turk” in English.
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Turkish soldiers and military forces march along a main road into Lefkosa, the capital of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, during the 39th anniversary of the declaration of the independence of the territory. The TRNC remains unrecognised by any other state apart from Turkey.
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Runway lights that will guide flights arriving at the newly constructed Ercan International airport in Northern Cyprus. Currently only permitted to receive flights from Turkey, the airport hopes to open up direct flights to Russia and European countries soon, as part of their attempt to gain international recognition.
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Foreign tourists walking around the recently reopened areas of Varosha, a ghost town trapped in 1974.
The now abandoned city of Varosha, frozen in time since 1974, when the conflict between Greek and Turkish forces resulted in the city being evacuated, and caught between the two sides, and then under control of the Turkish military.
In October 2020 Ersin Tatar, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, reopened small parts of the city and its pristine beaches to the public. Many former residents have returned for the first time in almost 5 decades, to see what remains of their homes.
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The now abandoned city of Varosha, frozen in time since 1974, when the conflict between Greek and Turkish forces resulted in the city being evacuated, and caught between the two sides, and then under control of the Turkish military.
In October 2020 Ersin Tatar, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, reopened small parts of the city and its pristine beaches to the public. Many former residents have returned for the first time in almost 5 decades, to see what remains of their homes.
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Spectators at the 39th anniversary parade of the declaration of independence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, in Lefkosa, TRNC / Cyprus.
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Turkish soldiers and military forces march along a main road into Lefkosa, the capital of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, during the 39th anniversary of the declaration of the independence of the territory. The TRNC remains unrecognised by any other state apart from Turkey.
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Ersin Tatar - president of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, posing for a portrait in the garden of the presidential office in Lefkoşa, the northern Turkish half of Nicosia, Cyprus.
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The Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque, in Famagusta, formerly a church, in Northern Cyprus.
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Staff cleaning Ercan's new international airport, prior to its planned opening in autumn 2023.
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Untouched beaches and pristine coastline, next to the empty ruins of what were some of the Mediterranean’s most luxurious hotels and summer holiday spots, in Varosha, Cyprus.
The now abandoned city of Varosha, frozen in time since 1974, when the conflict between Greek and Turkish forces resulted in the city being evacuated, and caught between the two sides, and then under control of the Turkish military.
In October 2020 Ersin Tatar, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, reopened small parts of the city and its pristine beaches to the public. Many former residents have returned for the first time in almost 5 decades, to see what remains of their homes.
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Andreas Lordos, a Greek Cypriot, standing in the centre of the abandoned town of Varosha, now in a Turkish military zone. Andreas was born in Varosha, but had to flee like the rest of the residents, when the conflict began in 1974. He now often returns since the city was partially reopened to the public, in a controversial move by TRNC president Ersin Tatar, on the 8th of October 2020.
Andreas Lordos’s father built the Golden Mariana hotel in Varosha. His family still own the hotel, and other properties in the city, but as it’s inside a military area, they are unable to repair it, or move back.
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An immigration control point at the new Ercan airport in Northern Cyprus. The airport only serves Turkey currently, as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is an unrecognised territory by the rest of the world.
The airport staff hope the unrecognised country will soon open up to more locations, and potentially allow direct flights from Russia and Western European countries.
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The now abandoned city of Varosha, frozen in time since 1974, when the conflict between Greek and Turkish forces resulted in the city being evacuated, and caught between the two sides, and then under control of the Turkish military.
In October 2020 Ersin Tatar, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, reopened small parts of the city and its pristine beaches to the public. Many former residents have returned for the first time in almost 5 decades, to see what remains of their homes.
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Sevilay Kasapoglu, a Turkish Cypriot widow, in her garden in Bergama, a small town divided into several zones, causing chaos for all local residents lives.
Bergama is divided into Turkish Cypriot territory, British Sovereign Base Territory, the UN buffer zone/Republic of Cyprus.
Sevilay Kasapoglu is lobbying the local government for her late husband’s pension, after he worked more than 30 years on a British military base nearby.
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Trees growing in the abandoned no-mans-land, a UN buffer zone, which divides Nicosia and Lefkoşa - the capital city of Cyprus, and the last European city to be divided. Shot from the Turkish majority northern side of the city, with the Greek majority, and internationally recognised Nicosia in the distance.
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Departure lounge seats remain wrapped under plastic, prior to the opening of the new Ercan international airport in Northern Cyprus. Although only officially recognised by Turkey, airport staff say they hope direct flights will soon arrive from Russia and Western European countries.
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Turkish soldiers and military forces march along a main road into Lefkosa, the capital of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, during the 39th anniversary of the declaration of the independence of the territory. The TRNC remains unrecognised by any other state apart from Turkey.
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A football pitch in the Northern Cypriot town of Bergama. The post (centre) marks the frontier between British Sovereign Military base territory, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Half the pitch, half of the stands, and much of the town is divided by frontiers, sometimes as many as three - TRNC, British military, and UN buffer zone.
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Cafe Edelweiss - once a popular cafe and bar in the now ghost town of Varosha, Cyprus
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The now abandoned city of Varosha, frozen in time since 1974, when the conflict between Greek and Turkish forces resulted in the city being evacuated, and caught between the two sides, and then under control of the Turkish military.
In October 2020 Ersin Tatar, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, reopened small parts of the city and its pristine beaches to the public. Many former residents have returned for the first time in almost 5 decades, to see what remains of their homes.
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Serhat Ozcelik general manager of T&T, a Turkish company contracted to build new airport in Ercan, Northern Cyprus, photographed inside the new terminal building.
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Streets of abandoned homes, in an entirely abandoned city, now under the control of the Turkish military, and sits on the divide between the Republic of Cyprus to the south, and the TRNC to the north - Varosha, Cyprus.
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Some of the large scale developments in Yeni Iskele, on the eastern coast of Northern Cyprus. 2022 was described as a 'boom year' for many real estate agents working in the area - particularly with Russian investors, Iranians, and others avoiding sanctions within the legal loopholes of Northern Cyprus.
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Dr Okan Dagli, former member of Turkish Cypriot parliament from Republican Turkish Party (CTP), and pro peace activist for a united Cyprus.
Dr Okan Dagli was also the former mayor and councillor of the abandoned town of Varosha and Famagusta, which is currently under the control of the Turkish military, although some areas were reopened to the public in October 2020.
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Liza Singer, the Israeli owner and manager of the recently opened Karpaz Gate marina in TRNC. The development is one of the largest investments from overseas, and Liza believes it will continue to be a success.
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A United Nations peace keeping force has been present in the abandoned city. Of Varosha for decades.
The now abandoned city of Varosha, frozen in time since 1974, when the conflict between Greek and Turkish forces resulted in the city being evacuated, and caught between the two sides, and then under control of the Turkish military.
In October 2020 Ersin Tatar, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, reopened small parts of the city and its pristine beaches to the public. Many former residents have returned for the first time in almost 5 decades, to see what remains of their homes.
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The now abandoned city of Varosha, frozen in time since 1974, when the conflict between Greek and Turkish forces resulted in the city being evacuated, and caught between the two sides, and then under control of the Turkish military.
In October 2020 Ersin Tatar, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, reopened small parts of the city and its pristine beaches to the public. Many former residents have returned for the first time in almost 5 decades, to see what remains of their homes.
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The recently opened Karpaz Gate marina in the TRNC. The development is one of the largest investments from overseas, and Liza Singer, an Israeli investor and manager of the site believes it will continue to be a success.
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Kemal Baykalli, activist in the ‘Unite Cyprus Now’ movement, calling for a united Cyprus for all Cypriots, a pro peace movement. Photographed on a street in Lefkosa, Cyprus.
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A former travel agency in the now abandoned city of Varosha, frozen in time since 1974, when the conflict between Greek and Turkish forces resulted in the city being evacuated, and caught between the two sides, and then under control of the Turkish military.
In October 2020 Ersin Tatar, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, reopened small parts of the city and its pristine beaches to the public. Many former residents have returned for the first time in almost 5 decades, to see what remains of their homes.
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A bust of former TRNC president Rauf Raif Denktaş (left) and Dr. Fazıl Küçük (right)
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A pharmacy in Famagusta, northern Cyprus, advertised in Arabic, English, Russian, Greek, Farsi, and Turkish - a sign of how diverse the residents of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are, with students and property owners, as well as tourists from around the region.
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The now abandoned city of Varosha, frozen in time since 1974, when the conflict between Greek and Turkish forces resulted in the city being evacuated, and caught between the two sides, and then under control of the Turkish military.
In October 2020 Ersin Tatar, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, reopened small parts of the city and its pristine beaches to the public. Many former residents have returned for the first time in almost 5 decades, to see what remains of their homes.
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Wave breakers at the entrance to Karpaz Gate marina, a luxury complex in northern Cyprus.
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