Cyprus to Restore Island's Oldest Police Station

In Nicosia, preparations are underway to reconstruct the oldest police station on the island, located above the Paphos Gate. The Paphos Gate in old Nicosia has been vacant for almost ten years.

The renowned Paphos Gate police station, situated on the historic Venetian walls, will undergo complete restoration.

Constructed by the British during their initial arrival in 1878, the building served as the first police station in Cyprus. It operated for over 130 years until it was closed approximately ten years ago.

Since then, the building has remained vacant. However, ownership rights recently transferred from the police to the antiquities department, marking a turning point in its preservation and restoration efforts.

Chrisanthi Kythreoti, an archaeologist from the antiquities department, explained that the reconstruction of the police station aims to transform the building and the surrounding area.

"By agreement with the former owners, the police department, the building was officially listed as a historical monument, granting it protected status," said Chrisanthi Kythreoti.

Once the building obtains this status, it falls under the jurisdiction of the antiquities department, which now assumes responsibility for its planned restoration.

"Our goal is to undertake a comprehensive restoration process, considering the building's distinctive architectural features, its historical significance, and its location directly on the Venetian walls," stated the archaeologist.