Saint Nicholas Armenian Church, commonly known as Notre Dame de Tyre or Our Lady of Tyre, stands in the Turkish-occupied part of Nicosia as a monument to nearly a millennium of Armenian presence in Cyprus. Built between 1308 and 1310, this Gothic structure served as the spiritual heart of the Armenian Cypriot community until 1963.
The church’s foundation dates to the 13th century when Benedictine nuns established a convent following the fall of Jerusalem. After the Ottoman conquest in 1570, Sultan Selim II granted the church to the Armenian community in recognition of their support during the invasion.
For four centuries, Armenians maintained the church and developed a thriving community around it, including schools, a kindergarten, and one of the world’s oldest Armenian Genocide monuments. The 1963 intercommunal violence forced the Armenian community to abandon the church, and it suffered decades of neglect before restoration began in 2007.
Historical Background
The original church was established as the Benedictine Abbey of Our Lady of Tyre in the 13th century, serving as a principal convent for religious women in Cyprus. Many of the nuns were Armenian in origin, creating an early connection between the site and the Armenian community. In 1308, a major earthquake destroyed much of the structure. King Henry II of Jerusalem, the Lusignan ruler of Cyprus, ordered repairs and construction of a new convent building.
The Gothic architecture reflects the French Crusader influences dominant in Cyprus during the Lusignan period from 1192 to 1489. The church consists of a square nave with a semi-octagonal apse, cross vaults, and supporting arches. The construction follows typical Gothic conventions with pointed arches and ribbed vaulting that allowed for taller walls and larger windows. By the early 16th century, before 1504, control of the church had passed to the Armenian Church due to the significant Armenian presence among the religious community.
Educational and Cultural Development
In 1920, descendants of Artin Melikian restored the church and built the Melikian Elementary School on the grounds. This school provided education to Armenian children in their native language while also teaching Greek and English. In 1938, Dikran Ouzounian established a second elementary school, the Ouzounian School, expanding educational opportunities for the growing community. A kindergarten called Shoushanian, originally built in 1902, served the youngest children.
The church complex became a comprehensive community center. Opposite the church to the west stood the Nicosia premises of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, an international Armenian charity organization. To the south was the Armenian Club, providing social and recreational facilities. Nearby stood the offices of the Armenian Youth Movement Association. This concentration of Armenian institutions in one neighborhood created a vibrant cultural enclave within Nicosia.
The Armenian Genocide Monument
Inside the church complex stood the Armenian Genocide Monument, constructed in 1932. This memorial commemorated the 1915 to 1923 genocide in which the Ottoman Empire systematically killed approximately 1.5 million Armenians. The Nicosia monument was only the second of its kind in the world, following the first memorial established in 1930. For Armenian Cypriots, many of whom were refugees or descendants of genocide survivors, this monument represented remembrance of lost homeland and family.
The monument’s location at the heart of the Armenian community gave it profound significance. Annual commemorations on April 24, the date marking the beginning of the genocide, drew Armenians from across Cyprus. These gatherings combined religious services in the church with public ceremonies at the monument, maintaining collective memory across generations.
Architectural Features and Design
The existing building showcases the Gothic architectural style typical of the early 14th century Lusignan period. The square nave with semi-octagonal apse creates an intimate worship space. Cross vaults span the ceiling, distributing weight to thick stone walls and allowing for the characteristic Gothic vertical emphasis. An arch covers the western portion of the church, framing the entrance.
A bell tower was added in 1860, giving the church its distinctive silhouette visible from the surrounding streets. The tower rises above the roofline, housing bells that once called the community to services. Convent buildings extend north from the church, containing living quarters, administrative offices, and workspaces that supported monastic life. To the east of the nunnery buildings lies the sarcophagus of Lady Dampierre, an abbess of the original convent whose tomb survived centuries of change.
On the church floor, tombstones dating from the 14th and 15th centuries mark the graves of nobles and religious figures. These carved stones provide valuable historical information about early Armenian and Latin residents of Cyprus. The preservation of these floor markers during restoration allows modern visitors to connect with individuals who lived through Cyprus’s medieval period.
The Church Today and Access
Image Credit: Travel of a Backpacker, Nicosia
The restored church complex is located in the Arab Ahmet quarter of Nicosia, on Salahi Şevket Street, formerly Victoria Street. Access requires crossing from the Republic of Cyprus into the Turkish-occupied part of the island, which is recognized only by Turkey. Special permission must be obtained for liturgies to be held in Christian places of worship in the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus, limiting the church’s function as an active religious site.
The building now serves primarily as a cultural center and memorial rather than an active place of worship. Visitors can view the restored Gothic architecture and learn about Armenian history in Cyprus. The site hosts occasional cultural events and educational programs that bring together different communities. However, the Armenian community continues to lack regular access to their historic spiritual center, one of the ongoing consequences of Cyprus’s division.
The New Armenian Cathedral in South Nicosia
After losing Notre Dame de Tyre, the Armenian community required a new spiritual home. Archbishop Makarios III granted them temporary use of the old Ayios Dhometios chapel. With assistance from the World Council of Churches, the Evangelical Church of Westphalia, the Cyprus government, and community donations, construction began on a new cathedral. Archbishop Makarios III and Archbishop Nerses Pakhdigian laid the foundation stone on September 25, 1976.
The Holy Mother of God Cathedral, also called Sourp Asdvadzadzin, was completed between 1976 and 1981 in Strovolos. This new cathedral is the only church in Cyprus built in traditional Armenian architectural style, featuring a central octagonal dome and a smaller dome for the bell tower. The design connects the community to Armenian architectural traditions from their ancestral homeland. The new Prelature building was constructed in 1983 adjacent to the cathedral, officially inaugurated on March 4, 1984.
Continuing Armenian Presence in Cyprus
The Armenian Prelature of Cyprus maintains three main churches today serving approximately 4,000 Armenian Cypriots. Besides the new Holy Mother of God Cathedral in Nicosia completed in 1981, there is the Church of Saint Stephen in Larnaca built between 1909 and 1913, and the Church of Saint George in Limassol constructed from 1939 to 1940. Armenian schools called Nareg operate in Nicosia since 1870, in Larnaca since 1909, and in Limassol since 1928.
The community has established new monuments and memorials in accessible southern Cyprus locations. An Armenian Genocide Monument was unveiled in the new cathedral complex on April 24, 1991. A marble khachkar, the traditional Armenian cross-stone, was dedicated in 2001 to eternal friendship between Armenians and Greeks in Cyprus. These new monuments replace those lost in the old quarter while maintaining historical memory.
Significance for Cultural Identity
Notre Dame de Tyre represents the complex layers of Cypriot history where French Crusaders, Armenians, Ottomans, British colonialists, and modern political conflicts have all left their mark. The church physically embodies the Armenian experience in Cyprus, from medieval refuge after genocide in the Ottoman Empire, to peaceful coexistence under Turkish rule, to forced displacement in modern ethnic conflict. The restoration project demonstrates how cultural heritage can bridge political divisions, with former adversaries cooperating to preserve shared history.
For Armenian Cypriots, the church remains a powerful symbol of community resilience. Despite losing their ancestral neighborhood and historic spiritual center, they rebuilt their institutions and maintained their cultural identity. The Gothic church in Nicosia and the traditional Armenian cathedral in the south together tell the story of a diaspora community that has survived dispersion, adapted to new circumstances, and preserved its distinct heritage across centuries and continents.
