Latins of Cyprus_EN

THE LATINS OF CYPRUS 26 The Heritage of the Frankish and the Venetian Eras l The famous Othello tower in Famagusta. l Mediaeval map of Famagusta (1572). The nearly four century presence of Latins (1192-1570) have left an indelible mark on Cyprus: • The Franco-Byzantine architectural style was triggered. • The Italo-Byzantine iconographic style took shape. • Dozens of architectural monuments were erected across Cyprus. • Dozens of words, names, surnames and toponyms of French or Italian origin entered the Cypriot dialect, many of which are still used today. • The famed commandaria dessert wine, the oldest named wine worldwide, received its name. With regard to architectural monuments (churches, administrative buildings and fortification works) constructed by the Lusignans and the Venetians on the island and surviving until today, the following are the most prominent: • Bellapais Abbey, a unique example of gothic architecture across the Levant, located in the Turkish-occupied areas. • The strong mountainous Pentadaktylos forts of Buffavento, Kantara and Saint Hilarion, located in the Turkish- occupied areas.