VIRTUAL London Heritages Conference

Abstract

Famagusta is a port city in Cyprus, known for its historic old town enclosed by massive Venetian fortification. During the First and Second World Wars, the Port and the old town served as a military base for British colonial forces. In the Second World War, civilians were encouraged to evacuate the old town. By 1949 most had returned. However Colonial forces closed the Venetian Gates for the safety during the World Wars. As a result, the enclosed old town became increasingly hot and humid. Seeking relief, civilian discovered a weak point in the Venetian walls, -a damage on the fortress- which they enlarged to access the beach and sea. This improvised passage was called Delik (Turkish for “hole”) and the beach became known as Delik Denizi (‘the hole beach’). In 1963, access to the beach through the Venetian Fortress closed down, and the area was later filled as part of the expansion of Famagusta’s free port. This research draws on oral histories and testimonies from individual who recall passing though Delik and swimming near the Venetian fortress between 1950 until 1963 it explores how a minor architectural breach became a significant social and spatial symbol in the lives of civilians. This study addresses two main research questions: RQ1: What did Delik Beach represent for the civilians of old town Famagusta? RQ2: How is Delik Beach remembered in the nostalgic narratives of (Turkish Cypriot) Famagustians? Keywords: Famagusta’s Venetian Walls; The Hole; Oral history; Civilian experiences.