Nicosia Old General Hospital
Encyclopedia
Nicosia Old General Hospital was the main hospital of Nicosia
, Cyprus
from 1936 to 2006. In 2006, its patients were transferred to the Nicosia New General Hospital, and it was demolished in 2010 amidst some controversy over whether it should have been preserved.
The decision for erecting a purpose built general hospital
in Nicosia
was taken during the British colonial administration of Cyprus
in 1936. It was inaugurated on the 14th of April 1939 by the then British governor Richard Palmer. This coincided with the breakout of World War II
and many British and Cypriot soldiers were transported there, away from the front line, for recovery. Cyprus escaped the fighting, apart from the occasional German bombing raid.
The building, designed by Polyvios Michaelides was one of the first structures in Cyprus to import the Bauhaus
style of architecture from Germany and featured in the French journal L’Architecture d’aujourd’hui.
The hospital served as a tertiary referral centre for most disciplines. Over time and with scientific and medical advances, it became apparent that the hospital premises were not fit for purpose. A Nicosia New General Hospital was constructed in the suburb of Latsia
and was delivered in 2006. The last remaining patients were transferred over and the old hospital closed its emergency department on the 8th of October 2006, after 67 years of operation having treated millions of patients. It continues to run outpatients clinics and a psychiatric ward.
The fate of the old building has recently been surrounded by controversy. It lies in the centre of Nicosia on prime real estate and surrounded by dense eucalyptus woodland. The Cyprus Green Party has been campaigning for the building’s preservation as it is considered as one of the few remaining examples of colonial architecture.
Plans to demolish it and to erect a new Cyprus Museum
have been criticized by the Cyprus Architects Association, that has also championed its preservation.
The building was finally demolished and the contractor Philippos Kameris confirmed on the 15/06/2010 that the work was completed.
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...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
from 1936 to 2006. In 2006, its patients were transferred to the Nicosia New General Hospital, and it was demolished in 2010 amidst some controversy over whether it should have been preserved.
The decision for erecting a purpose built general hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
in 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...
was taken during the British colonial administration of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
in 1936. It was inaugurated on the 14th of April 1939 by the then British governor Richard Palmer. This coincided with the breakout of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and many British and Cypriot soldiers were transported there, away from the front line, for recovery. Cyprus escaped the fighting, apart from the occasional German bombing raid.
The building, designed by Polyvios Michaelides was one of the first structures in Cyprus to import the Bauhaus
Bauhaus
', commonly known simply as Bauhaus, was a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. It operated from 1919 to 1933. At that time the German term stood for "School of Building".The Bauhaus school was founded by...
style of architecture from Germany and featured in the French journal L’Architecture d’aujourd’hui.
The hospital served as a tertiary referral centre for most disciplines. Over time and with scientific and medical advances, it became apparent that the hospital premises were not fit for purpose. A Nicosia New General Hospital was constructed in the suburb of Latsia
Latsia
Latsia , once a small village on the south east outskirts of Nicosia is today one of the largest and most populous suburbs of the city. It hosts the new Nicosia General Hospital, the new GSP Stadium and the new campus of the University of Cyprus....
and was delivered in 2006. The last remaining patients were transferred over and the old hospital closed its emergency department on the 8th of October 2006, after 67 years of operation having treated millions of patients. It continues to run outpatients clinics and a psychiatric ward.
The fate of the old building has recently been surrounded by controversy. It lies in the centre of Nicosia on prime real estate and surrounded by dense eucalyptus woodland. The Cyprus Green Party has been campaigning for the building’s preservation as it is considered as one of the few remaining examples of colonial architecture.
Plans to demolish it and to erect a new Cyprus Museum
Cyprus Museum
The Cyprus Museum is the oldest and largest archaeological museum in Cyprus.The museum houses artefacts discovered during numerous excavations on the island. The museum is home to the most extensive collection of Cypriot antiquities in the world and is located on Museum Street in central Nicosia...
have been criticized by the Cyprus Architects Association, that has also championed its preservation.
The building was finally demolished and the contractor Philippos Kameris confirmed on the 15/06/2010 that the work was completed.