Güzelyurt
(Morphou)
Güzelyurt,
which means `beautiful country' in Turkish, is aptly named. Situated in
the north-west with a population of 12,000; it is a charming little town
which is surrounded by citrus groves; their wonderful heady scent is
itself a good enough reason for a visit in blossom time.
Underwater
springs nourish the apples, vegetables, grapefruit and melons for which the
area is also famous. A large proportion of the citrus fruits are exported
and the remainder are turned into fruit juice and canned for local
consumption and export.
Güzelyurt is
also famous for its annual Orange Festival, which is a major event lasting
two weeks.
Güzelyurt Festival Park
Mosaics at Soli
Places of Interest
St. Mamas Church and
Icon Museum The many valuable historical artefacts are on display inside, which
include the Sacrophagus of St. Mamas which according to folklore, was washed ashore and
discovered by a peasant in the local bay. In a vision he was told to take the Sacrophagus
to the place where it now stands and build a monastery there.
Museum of
Archaeological & Natural Sciences The museum contains
mainly archeological artifacts from the Bronze Age as well as a section mainly concerned with geology, birds, reptiles, insects and some of the wildlife of
the island.
Pighades: A Bronze Age Settlement
The Bronze Age sanctuary at Pigadhes dates back to about 1600
B.C. About 1300 B.C. refugees from Crete brought their property,
including the Horns of Consecration, a religious symbol, to the
Cyprus alter.
Güzelyurt (Morphou) on interactive map
Güzelyurt 
