Location

Hermes Street was a major shopping thoroughfare in central Nicosia

Nicosia

Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...

. It runs from the top of Ledra Street

Ledra Street

Ledra Street is a major shopping thoroughfare in central Nicosia, Cyprus, which links North and South Nicosia....

 and into Ektoros Street in the East.

History

Before Venetian times the River Pedieos

Pedieos

The Pedieos is the longest river in Cyprus. The river originates in the Troodos Mountains close to Machairas Monastery and flows northeast across the Mesaoria plains, through the capital city Nicosia...

 course ran through the centre of the town, however this was then diverted when the new walls were built. The old river bed then became an open sewer until the arrival of the British in 1878. They found the cities sanitation to be in an appalling state so they decided the ownership of the land be given to anyone who could assist in rebuilding the area. Hermes Street was built in 1881 with the help of builders and labourers from the Kaimakli

Kaimakli

Kaimakli is a large North Eastern suburb located within the Municipality of Nicosia since 1968. The population of the area was 10864 inhabitants in 2001.-History:...

 area. They constructed the Cities main sewer under the street and built many shops on street level. The authorities gave many of the premises to the builders as a reward for their efforts.
The Street found itself located on the edge of the Greek Quarter of the City from 1958 until 1974.

Today

Two thirds of the street is located abandoned within the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus

United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus

The United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus runs for more than along what is known as the Green Line and has an area of . The zone partitions the island of Cyprus into a southern area effectively controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus , and the northern area...

. From the Ledra Street

Ledra Street

Ledra Street is a major shopping thoroughfare in central Nicosia, Cyprus, which links North and South Nicosia....

crossing a metal gate blocks access into Hermes Street, however part of the street is still accessible from Manis Street.