LEFKOSIA –
The European Union has allocated €466,400 to support the sustainable maintenance of cultural heritage sites in the city of Famagusta, reaffirming its long‑standing commitment to safeguarding Cyprus’s shared cultural heritage, the European Commission says.
According to the Commission, specialized vehicles, machinery and equipment were delivered to the local community between October 2025 and January 2026 through a directly implemented EU supply contract. The investment aims to address a persistent challenge in heritage preservation: the limited capacity for routine maintenance once restoration works are completed.
The initiative builds on more than a decade of EU‑funded restoration projects carried out by the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage (TCCH) in Famagusta. Since 2015, the TCCH has restored major landmarks including the Othello Tower, sections of the Venetian walls, several bastions and gates, churches and mosques in the historic center, as well as key archaeological sites such as Salamina, Kampanopetra and Agios Epiphanios.
The newly provided equipment is expected to significantly enhance local capacity for regular and preventive maintenance—such as vegetation clearing and emergency interventions—supporting a more sustainable, long‑term approach to heritage management.
“This initiative reflects the EU’s integrated approach to cultural heritage preservation, linking restoration with long‑term maintenance and strengthening local ownership of historic sites,” the Commission noted. Since 2012, the EU has invested €32.5 million in cultural heritage preservation under the EU Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community.
