The Blue House: the most mysterious landmark of Northern Cyprus

The Blue House, or Mavi Köşk in Turkish, is not the most famous landmark of Northern Cyprus. But perhaps it is the most mysterious and controversial.

• The History of the Blue House
• Alternative Versions
• What Makes the House Interesting
• Tours in the House
• How to Find the House
• Questions

The History of the Blue House

According to the main version told by the mansion staff, the Blue House was built in 1956 by Pablo Pavlidis, a Greek of Italian origin. Pablo Pavlidis was one of the largest arms smugglers in the Middle East, as well as the lawyer for the leader of the Greek Cypriot administration, Archbishop Makarios III.

The mansion has a unique architecture—unrecognizable from the outside—it allowed for observation from within, while remaining completely inconspicuous from the outside. According to legend, to preserve this secret, the architect of the mansion was killed after its construction.

Pablo Pavlidis himself, according to widespread legend, fled the mansion in 1974 during the Cyprus operation through a secret passage dug to the sea, blowing it up behind him, and fled to Italy. Some time later, he was killed by the Italian mafia.

Alternative Versions

The president of the Lefke Tourism Association, Hasan Karlytas, disagrees with the commonly accepted version of the Blue House's history. According to the specialist, although Pavlos Pavlidis, known as the owner of the Blue House, studied law, he was not Makarios' lawyer.

Moreover, according to Hasan Karlytas, the famous lawyer was not of Greek-Italian origin, but a Greek Cypriot. The expert also claims that Pavlidis built the Blue House in 1973, not in the 1950s, as tourists are told.

What Makes the Blue House Interesting

Primarily, its interesting history. But not only that—the mansion and its garden feature pools—a regular one outside and a small one inside where guests took milk baths, secret passages, hidden vaults, art pieces, and various unusual items.

For example, a reading chair that was initially soft but would become hard after a few hours to prevent the sitter from falling asleep. Or a room with a separate foundation that protected residents in case of an earthquake. At the slightest tremor, a specially balanced bird figurine would fall with a loud noise, alerting the residents to seek shelter in that room.

In the yard, there were already mentioned observation points that allowed monitoring of the surroundings, as well as a buried underground tunnel leading to the sea, through which the house's owner escaped after 1974.

Near the open-air observation point is a specially designed area with good acoustics—it's said that Pavlidis used to practice there before court speeches.

Another point of interest is the natural air conditioning system, which keeps the house cool even during Cyprus' scorching summer. This is achieved through the strategic placement of ventilation ducts designed to circulate cold air throughout the house.

Tours in the Blue House

When purchasing a ticket to the house, a guided tour is included in the price. It is conducted in Turkish, English, and German, and there is even a staff member who speaks Russian, though not very well, but you can understand the main points.

Tours are held at regular intervals, and when purchasing a ticket, you will be informed about the time of the next one in the language you are interested in. If there’s no time to wait, you can explore the mansion on your own.

How to Find the Blue House

The landmark is located near the villages of Çamlıbel and Tepebaşı, but you can't just drive there—the Blue House itself is located on a military base. You can only get there by car (they won’t let you in on foot), present your passport at the checkpoint, and follow the signs.

• Coordinates of the Blue House: 35.320355004805435, 33.061549321431094

You can also check its location on the map below. There is a road nearby that buses run along from Güzelyurt to Kyrenia, but without a car, it’s impossible to enter unless you join someone before entering.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Blue House

Is photography and video recording allowed?

It’s okay to shoot outside. Photography is prohibited inside. If you happen to enter without a tour, you can try to take pictures, but this is not recommended.

Does everyone need to have passports to enter?

At the checkpoint, it’s enough to present one passport per car.

What else can you see nearby?

Right next to the Blue House, there is a viewing platform for the largest reservoir in Northern Cyprus—Göççetköy—which is partly supplied by water from Turkey through a pipeline laid under the sea. Also, heading towards Güzelyurt, you will find the oldest olive trees in the country.

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