Using the Ledra Street Crossing Point in Nicosia to cross from Cyprus into the self-proclaimed de facto state of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Cyprus, the divided country
Cyprus gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1960 and is known as the Republic of Cyprus.
The Turkish Army invaded Cyprus in 1974, and a civil war ensued.
The northern region declared independence in 1983 as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus which only Turkey recognises. It is seen by everyone else as an illegal occupation.
The 180 km long UN Buffer Zone splits Cyprus into two, as shown on the map below:
Credit: Free World Maps.
Nicosia, the divided city
The Green Line, which separates the north from the south, runs straight through Nicosia.
The two grey areas are the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, which come under the control of the United Kingdom. They act as forward operating bases when the shit hits the fan in the Middle East.
Nicosia is the English name. The Greek name is Lefkosia, and the Turkish name is Lefkoşa. I backpacked the Turkish part of the city of Lefkoşa, which has some top-class sights.
The Ledra Street Pedestrian Crossing Point is open 24/7. You need to show your passport on both sides, but you won’t get any stamps at this border crossing.
At the Ledra Street Checkpoint in Nicosia:
Street map from the Greek side. They like to make sure that people know that the northern part of Nicosia and the northern part of Cyprus is an Area Under Turkish Occupation since 1974, when the Turkish army invaded Cyprus:
Street map of Lefkoşa, the Turkish part of the city of Nicosia:
Images of the dividing wall as seen from the Greek side:
These first few photos were taken at Paphos Gate, one of the old entrances to the walled city.
The UN Buffer Zone
Barriers and blockades for the United Nations Buffer Zone in Nicosia:
These are entry points for the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP):
Images of the dividing wall as seen from the Turkish side (These signs were standard-issue signs at any place with a military presence):
I never saw any guards, Cypriot, Greek or Turkish, nor any UN troops. I guess the situation is very low-key just now. The crossing points opened way back in 2003.
The buffer zone ranges between a few metres wide and a few kilometres wide and is complete with abandoned, bombed-out buildings. A UN Buffer Zone Tour would be great to go on, if one existed.
When crossing the border, the buffer zone/no-man’s-land area is about 100 metres long. No photos from this part.