On July 20, 1974, the Turkish military launched a full-scale invasion of Cyprus, leading to the de facto partition of the island into a Greek-controlled south and a Turkish-occupied north. Approximately 37% of the island’s territory fell under Turkish control. In 1983, Ankara unilaterally declared the establishment of the so-called “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”—a self-proclaimed entity recognized only by Turkey to this day.
The invasion triggered a humanitarian catastrophe. Over 200,000 Greek Cypriots were forcibly displaced from their homes in the north and pushed south, becoming refugees in their own country.
Beyond the demographic and political consequences, the occupation also led to widespread destruction of cultural and religious heritage. Numerous Christian and Armenian monuments were either neglected, desecrated, or outright destroyed by Turkish forces and affiliated authorities.
Among the most notable losses was the complete destruction of Makaravank, a historic Armenian monastery located in the northern part of the island. Additionally, the chapels of Saint Paul and Saint Haroutiun, located in Nicosia, ended up within the UN-administered buffer zone and were left abandoned and deteriorating.
