Rizokarpaso
Encyclopedia
Rizokarpaso is a town on the Karpass Peninsula
in the Famagusta District
, northeastern Cyprus
. It has been under Turkish control since the 1974 invasion
.
Rizokarpaso is the biggest town on the peninsula. Soil near the town consists of terra fusca
which is very fertile. Local crops include carob, cotton
, tobacco
, and grain
. A tobacco-factory operates in the town.
Before 1974, the town was predominantly inhabited by Greek-Cypriots. During the Turkish invasion of Cyprus
in 1974, the peninsula was cut off by Turkish troops, and this prevented the town's Greek-Cypriot inhabitants from fleeing to the unoccupied South. As a result, with 250 Greek-Cypriot inhabitants, Rizokarpaso is the home of the biggest Greek-speaking population in the North. The Greek-Cypriot population is now mainly elderly and shrinking in size, they are still supplied by the UN, and Greek-Cypriot products are consequently available in some shops.
The town has two churches: St. Synesios and the church of the Holy Trinity. They are examples of the typical Cypriot mixed style, combining features of the late Gothic introduced by the Lusignan
s with the late Byzantine style of the Orthodox tradition. When the island's Orthodox bishops were banished by the Lusignans in 1222, the Bishop of Famagusta
was sent to Rizokarpaso and continued his work in St. Synesios, the main Orthodox church in the region. These are two of the few Christian churches to operate in Turkish Cyprus, and has had services stopped by the Turkish Cypriot police.
Rizokarpaso is partly located in the ancient city of Karpasia
on the West coast, according to legend founded by king Pygmalion
.
Karpass Peninsula
The Karpass Peninsula , also known as Karpasia or Kırpaşa is a long, finger-like peninsula that is one of the most prominent geographical features of the island of Cyprus. Its farthest extent is Cape Apostolos Andreas, and its major population centre is the town of Rizokarpaso...
in the Famagusta District
Famagusta District
Famagusta District is one of the six districts of Cyprus. Its main town is the island's most important port, Famagusta. The city of Famagusta is currently controlled by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus ....
, northeastern 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...
. It has been under Turkish control since the 1974 invasion
Turkish invasion of Cyprus
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus, launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military invasion in response to a Greek military junta backed coup in Cyprus...
.
Rizokarpaso is the biggest town on the peninsula. Soil near the town consists of terra fusca
Terra fusca
Terra Fusca is a limestone based soil . It is a very fertile soil for agriculture. It is generally found in cooler climates, such as a Mediterranean or European climate. It is also referred to as Cromi-calceric cambisol....
which is very fertile. Local crops include carob, cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, and grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
. A tobacco-factory operates in the town.
Before 1974, the town was predominantly inhabited by Greek-Cypriots. During the Turkish invasion of Cyprus
Turkish invasion of Cyprus
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus, launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military invasion in response to a Greek military junta backed coup in Cyprus...
in 1974, the peninsula was cut off by Turkish troops, and this prevented the town's Greek-Cypriot inhabitants from fleeing to the unoccupied South. As a result, with 250 Greek-Cypriot inhabitants, Rizokarpaso is the home of the biggest Greek-speaking population in the North. The Greek-Cypriot population is now mainly elderly and shrinking in size, they are still supplied by the UN, and Greek-Cypriot products are consequently available in some shops.
The town has two churches: St. Synesios and the church of the Holy Trinity. They are examples of the typical Cypriot mixed style, combining features of the late Gothic introduced by the Lusignan
Lusignan
The Lusignan family originated in Poitou near Lusignan in western France in the early 10th century. By the end of the 11th century, they had risen to become the most prominent petty lords in the region from their castle at Lusignan...
s with the late Byzantine style of the Orthodox tradition. When the island's Orthodox bishops were banished by the Lusignans in 1222, the Bishop of Famagusta
Famagusta
Famagusta is a city on the east coast of Cyprus and is capital of the Famagusta District. It is located east of Nicosia, and possesses the deepest harbour of the island.-Name:...
was sent to Rizokarpaso and continued his work in St. Synesios, the main Orthodox church in the region. These are two of the few Christian churches to operate in Turkish Cyprus, and has had services stopped by the Turkish Cypriot police.
Rizokarpaso is partly located in the ancient city of Karpasia
Karpasia (town)
Karpasia, also Karpasion is said to have been founded by the Phoenician King Pygmalion of Tyre near Cape Sarpedon, now Cape St...
on the West coast, according to legend founded by king Pygmalion
Pygmalion of Tyre
Pygmalion was king of Tyre from 831 to 785 BC and a son of King Mattan I .During Pygmalion's reign, Tyre seems to have shifted the heart of its trading empire from the Middle East to the Mediterranean, as can be judged from the building of new colonies including Kition on Cyprus, Sardinia , and,...
.
See also
- Rizokarpaso Primary SchoolRizokarpaso Primary SchoolRizokarpaso Primary School is a Greek-Cypriot primary school in Rizokarpaso, in Northern Cyprus. For a number of years it was the only Greek language school in Northern Cyprus. It is notable in that it has regularly appeared in the media when primary school teachers are prevented from teaching...
- Eleni FokaEleni FokaEleni Foka is a Greek Cypriot primary school teacher who was victimized by officials of the government of Northern Cyprus. She was a teacher at the Greek-Cypriot elementary school in Ayia Triada, Yialousa, in the Karpas region of Northern Cyprus...
- KormakitisKormakitisKormakitis is a small village in Cyprus, part of the de facto Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus . Kormakitis is one of four traditionally Maronite villages in Cyprus, the other three being Asomatos, Ayia Marina and Karpaseia...
- Human rights in Northern CyprusHuman rights in Northern CyprusHuman rights in Northern Cyprus are protected by the constitution of Northern Cyprus. However, there have been reports of violations of the human rights of minorities, democratic freedom, freedom from discrimination, freedom from torture, freedom of movement, freedom of religion, freedom of speech,...