The History of Armenians in Cyprus

from Antiquity to this Day

Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra, researcher-scholar

A. G. Leventis Gallery, Nicosia, 22 September 2017

Conference on Cyprus: Its Archaeology and Heritage,

organised by the Cyprus Centre of the University of
Westminster
A continuous and important presence since 578 AD
Byzantine Era (330-1191)
Frankish Era (1192-1489) & Venetian Era (1489-1570)
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (1080-1198-1375)
Ottoman conquest of Cyprus (1570-1571)
Ottoman Era (1571-1878)
British occupation (1878)
Hamidian massacres (1894-1896), Adana massacre
(1909) & Armenian Genocide (1915-1923)
The refugees brought new life into the old community
Eastern/Armenian Legion (Lgion dOrient/Armnienne)
 and they also contributed to Cyprus as a whole.
 Important buildings established by/for the refugees

Saint Stephens church and Melikian & Ouzounian Melkonian Educational

school (Larnaca, 1909/1923) schools (Nicosia, 1921/1938) Institute (Nicosia, 1924-1926)

Genocide monument Saint Georges church and school Armenian Evangelical church
(Nicosia, 1932) (Limassol, 1939/1951) (Nicosia, 1946-1947)
Independence (1960)
 Armenian-Cypriot population, according to the
official censuses, and geographical distribution of
Armenians in Cyprus
Inter-communal troubles (1963-1964)
1974 Turkish invasion
Armenian presence in Nicosia
Armenian presence in Larnaca
Armenian presence in Limassol

Armenian presence in Paphos

Social life of the community
 Turkish-occupied Armenian monuments

Armenian church compound (walled Nicosia):

cathedral (1308), Prelature (1783), Melikian Armenian Evangelical church
school (1921), Genocide monument (1932), (Nicosia: 1946-1947)
Ouzounian school (1938), kindergarten (1950)

Sourp Magar Monastery (Halevga: 1425) Virgin Mary of Ganchvor (Famagusta: 1346)