Famagusta (eng. Famagusta, Greek name Ammochostos, Greek Αμμόχωστος, Turkish – Magusa, Turkish Magusa or Gazimagusa (Turkish Gazimağusa)) is a port city on the southeastern coast of the island of Cyprus, on the territory of the partially recognized state of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (according to the opinion of the international community – in the Republic of Cyprus). The population is about 50 thousand inhabitants (1998).
Famagusta is located on the shores of the Mediterranean bay of the same name. The city is connected with Nicosia by road. According to the official administrative division of the Republic of Cyprus, the city of Famagusta is the center of the Famagusta district.

History
Famagusta arose on the ruins of ancient Arsinoe, founded in the 3rd century BC. e. Ptolemy II, king of Hellenistic Egypt. In 1190-1191, the ships of Richard the Lionheart, a participant in the Third Crusade, were broken by a storm off the coast of Cyprus. The ruler of the island, Isaac Komnenos, treated the English knights cruelly. In response, Richard captured Nicosia and Famagusta, captured Isaac and declared himself sovereign of Cyprus. Soon Richard sold Cyprus to the Knights Templar, who in turn sold the former King of the Kingdom of Jerusalem Guy de Lusignan. From this moment the Kingdom of Cyprus is formed.
Until 1291, Famagusta was a fishing village, remarkable only for the deep water of its bay. The fall of Tire and the subsequent exodus of crusaders and other Christians from the Holy Land turned Famagusta into one of the richest centers of Christendom. It was here that many fugitives settled in the hope of returning to Palestine sooner or later. In 1373, Famagusta came under the rule of the Republic of Genoa, and in the 15th century, the Venetians. Under their rule, Famagusta was the most important trading city in the Christian Levant.

Turkish siege
Famagusta became famous for the heroic defense of the Venetians against the troops of Sultan Selim II. The siege of Famagusta began in October 1570, but since the stony soil made siege work extremely difficult, and the redoubts erected by the Turks were persistently destroyed by the garrison, which made brave sorties, the Turks finally limited themselves to besieging the fortress. The Venetian fleet managed to break through the blockade of the harbor and land reinforcements, which increased the garrison to 7,000. But new troops also arrived to the Turks, and when By April 1571, their army had grown to 50,000; they resumed siege work on a large scale.
Despite the fierce artillery bombardment, the Venetians held out and bravely repelled the repeated desperate attacks of the Muslims. The commander of the Turkish troops, Lala Mustafa Pasha, offered the commandant of the city Marcantonio Bragadin very favorable terms of surrender, but they were rejected. Only on August 1, 1571, when all means of defense and all food supplies were depleted, the commandant entered into negotiations with Mustafa, who promised a handful of the remaining defenders of the fortress a free retreat. As soon as, however, they came out from behind the walls, the Turks attacked them, killed many, and chained the rest to the benches of their galleys; the commandant was skinned and his body hung on the mast of the ship.

British Rule
The city was a fortified seaport. The population at the beginning of the 20th century was about 4 thousand inhabitants.

Independent Cyprus 1960-1974
From 1960 to 1974, Famagusta grew a lot. In the southwest, the quarter of Varosha has grown, which has become a tourist center. In the late 1960s, Famagusta became one of the most famous centers of entertainment and tourism in the world. Local architecture combined the heritage of the British colonial period with modern trends. The most modern buildings were built in Varosha.
The city also became a major transport center, through which passed up to 83% of the island’s freight traffic and 49% of the passenger traffic (1973). With a population of 7% of the population of the entire island, Famagusta in 1974 provided up to 10% of the industry, it was concentrated in the production of food, beer, tobacco, clothing, plastics, transport equipment and others. Famagusta was also the administrative center of the district of the same name.
Under the 1960 constitution, separate Greek and Turkish municipalities were created in Famagusta (among several other Greek cities).
42.5 thousand inhabitants (1970).

Since 1974
During the second phase of the Turkish invasion on August 14, 1974 (in Turkish sources – the Cyprus Peace Operation), Turkish tanks entered the Mesaoria plain and two days later the Turkish army occupied Famagusta. The Greek population was completely evacuated from the city, many Greeks fled after the bombing carried out by the Turkish aviation.
Unlike other occupied territories, the Varosha quarter was immediately closed by Turkish forces and remains in this state to this day. The Greeks who inhabited the quarter were ordered to leave the city within 24 hours and take with them only what they could carry. Until now, residents evacuated from Varosha are prohibited from returning. Until the 1990s, journalists were not allowed to enter. Swedish journalist Jan Olaf Bengtson, who visited the Swedish battalion of the UN peacekeeping forces, and saw the closed area, called it a “ghost town”:
The asphalt on the streets is cracked from the heat of the sun, and bushes grow in the middle of the road. Now, in September 1977, dinner tables are still set, clothes are still hanging in the laundries, and the lamps are still on. Famagusta is a ghost town.
Shortly after the closure, the quarter was looted first by the Turkish military, who took furniture, televisions and utensils to the mainland, and then by residents of nearby streets, who took away everything that was not needed by the soldiers and officers of the occupying army.

In 1974, there were 109 hotels in Famagusta with 11,000 beds. Part of the hotel complexes of Varosha is still legally the private property of citizens from 20 countries of the world. One of the hotels in Varosha was put into operation three days before the city was abandoned by the inhabitants.
The rest of the city remains populated, predominantly by Turkish Cypriots, and has many attractions. Famagusta is also home to the Eastern Mediterranean University.
The mayor-in-exile of Famagusta is Alexis Galanos. The Turkish mayor is Oktay Kaylap. There are proposals from the Government of the Republic of Cyprus to transfer Varosha to UN administration, return refugees, and open the port to both Turkish and Greek communities. However, Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriots reject these proposals.
In 1974, the population of the city was 39 thousand people. Of these, 26,500 are Greek Cypriots, 8,500 are Turkish Cypriots, and 4,000 are representatives of other ethnic groups. After the invasion in 1975 the population was 8500, all Turks. According to 1998 data, the population is 50 thousand inhabitants.
On June 9, 2012, the city was visited by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ Kirill. He noted that he visited these places 40 years ago and was shocked by the devastation of the city. “I remember the blooming Famagusta, the monastery of St. Barnabas, wonderful three icon-painting monks, St. Nicholas Cathedral, beautiful houses and beautiful nature,” he said.