Lois Larson
Nicosia International Airport, located 8.2 km west of the Cypriot capital city of Nicosia, has been abandoned since 1974 when Turkey invaded Cyprus. The airport was built in the 1930s as RAF Nicosia when the island was under British control. It was the main airport for the island until commercial activity ceased following the Turkish invasion. The airport has been under UN control since 1974 and is now used as the headquarters of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. There have been several attempts to reopen the airport, but no agreement has been reached.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Current status | Abandoned, currently inoperable as a fully functioning airport |
| Year of abandonment | 1974 |
| Ownership | Still owned by the British Ministry of Defence |
| Current use | Headquarters of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, recreational facilities for UN personnel, site for intercommunal peace talks |
| Reopening plans | There have been several attempts to reopen the airport, including as part of reunification negotiations and UN-facilitated Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs). However, little progress has been made. |
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What You'll Learn
- Nicosia International Airport has been abandoned since 1974
- The airport was the site of heavy fighting between Cypriot and Turkish forces
- It is now a United Nations Protected Area and UN Peacekeeping Force headquarters
- The airport was built in the 1930s as a military airport for the RAF
- There have been failed attempts to reopen the airport as part of reunification negotiations
Nicosia International Airport has been abandoned since 1974
The airport was originally the main airport for the island of Cyprus, with regular services operated by Misrair, BOAC, Cyprus Airways, and MEA to destinations in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. In the mid-1990s, there were various UN-facilitated initiatives to reopen the airport as part of Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) between the island's two communities. An agreement was nearly reached in 1994, which would have allowed the airport to be reopened for civilian and cargo traffic under UN administration until the Cyprus problem was settled. However, no progress was made, and the airport remains abandoned.
In the years leading up to its abandonment, the Nicosia International Airport underwent several renovations and expansions. A new terminal building, designed by the West German company Dorsch und Gehrmann, was opened in 1968, with the British contributing nearly half of the cost. Plans were also put in place to expand the apron to accommodate more aircraft, including wide-body jets. However, these plans were never realised due to the political upheaval and subsequent invasion in 1974.
Today, the airport is under the control of the United Nations and serves as the headquarters for the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. The site is off-bounds for safety reasons, and the air terminal has been bolted shut for decades. The once-bustling hub has stood deserted for 50 years, becoming a symbol of the divided capital of Nicosia and a snapshot of humanity's past.
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The airport was the site of heavy fighting between Cypriot and Turkish forces
Nicosia International Airport was the site of heavy fighting between Cypriot and Turkish forces during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. The airport, which was built in the 1930s as RAF Nicosia, had been serving as the main airport for the island prior to the invasion.
In the months leading up to the invasion, the airport was briefly closed by right-wing Greek nationalists who had overthrown the democratically elected president of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios, in a coup. It was reopened on 18 July 1974, allowing civilian traffic and foreign nationals to leave the island. On 20 July, Turkey invaded Cyprus and bombed the airport, causing extensive damage to the runway and engaging in heavy fighting with Cypriot forces.
Following the invasion, the airport became a key battleground between the Cypriot and Turkish forces, with both sides engaging in fierce combat. The United Nations Security Council declared the airport a United Nations Protected Area (UNPA) during the conflict, requiring both sides to withdraw at least 500 meters from its perimeter. The airport has been under UN control since the signing of the ceasefire on 16 August 1974 and has been inoperable as a fully functioning airport ever since.
The airport has since fallen into disrepair, with the terminal building and a Cyprus Airways Trident Sunjet passenger plane suffering structural deterioration over time. Despite several initiatives and negotiations over the years, including Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) in the 1990s, attempts to reopen the airport have been unsuccessful. It remains a symbol of a divided capital and a reminder of the past violence that tore the island apart.
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It is now a United Nations Protected Area and UN Peacekeeping Force headquarters
Nicosia International Airport, located 8.2 km west of the Cypriot capital city of Nicosia, is now a United Nations Protected Area and UN Peacekeeping Force headquarters. The airport, built in the 1930s, was originally a military airport for the RAF during World War II and later became the island's main commercial airport.
In 1974, the airport was evacuated following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, and it has remained abandoned and inoperable since. The site witnessed heavy fighting between Cypriot and Turkish forces, leading the United Nations Security Council to declare it a United Nations Protected Area (UNPA) within a UN-controlled buffer zone separating the two communities. The airport has been under UN control ever since, with active UN helicopters based there and recreational facilities for UN personnel.
The UNPA encompasses the entire airport complex, including RAF Nicosia and UN camps. Both sides were mandated to maintain a distance of at least 500 meters from the perimeter. While there have been attempts to reach an agreement on restoring and reopening the airport, no progress has been made. The airport has become a symbol of a divided capital, with nature slowly reclaiming the site.
The former bustling hub now stands as a testament to the past, with the terminal frozen in time and nature slowly reclaiming the space. The once-busy tarmac is now home to pigeons and the rustling of leaves, serving as a constant reminder of the conflict that led to its abandonment.
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The airport was built in the 1930s as a military airport for the RAF
Nicosia International Airport was built in the 1930s as RAF Nicosia, a military airport for the RAF, as the island was under British control at the time. The runway was constructed in 1939 by the Shell Company and Pierides & Michaelides Ltd. The airport saw heavy use during World War II, with both British and American bombers using the facility. Some civilian traffic served British interests in the region until the outbreak of World War II.
After the war, in 1947, the airport opened for commercial use, becoming the island's main airport. During the war, the airport's facilities were expanded, and a new passenger terminal was built in 1949. Regular services were operated by Misrair, BOAC, Cyprus Airways, and MEA to destinations in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. The airport continued to expand in the following years, with the terminal and aprons being extended in 1959 to accommodate growing passenger traffic to the island. In 1968, a new terminal building was constructed, designed by the West German company Dorsch und Gehrmann, with the British contributing to the cost.
In 1974, the airport was briefly closed due to a coup led by right-wing Greek nationalists, which overthrew the democratically elected president of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios. It was reopened on July 18, 1974, but chaos ensued as stranded holidaymakers and foreign nationals attempted to leave the country. On July 20, 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus, causing extensive damage to the runway and rendering the airport inoperable as a fully functioning airport. The airport became the site of heavy fighting between Cypriot and Turkish forces, leading the United Nations Security Council to declare it a United Nations Protected Area (UNPA) within a buffer zone separating the two communities on the island.
Today, the airport remains under UN control and is used as the headquarters for the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. While there have been attempts to reach an agreement to reopen the airport, progress has been limited. Nicosia International Airport stands as a symbol of a divided capital, frozen in time since its abandonment in 1974.
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There have been failed attempts to reopen the airport as part of reunification negotiations
Nicosia International Airport has been abandoned since 1974 when Turkey invaded Cyprus. The airport was the site of one of the main combat zones and has been under UN control ever since. The UN's peacekeeping force in Cyprus has its headquarters at the airport.
The airport has been described as a symbol of a divided capital and remains a key obstacle to any tentative agreement. The site has deteriorated over time, with the terminal building and a Cyprus Airways Trident Sunjet passenger plane suffering structural damage. The airport is also off-bounds for safety reasons, with the air terminal bolted shut.
Despite the failed attempts to reopen the airport, it continues to play a significant role in the history of Cyprus and the ongoing reunification negotiations.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Nicosia Airport has been abandoned since 1974 when Turkey invaded Cyprus.
In 1974, Nicosia Airport was the site of a coup that overthrew the democratically elected president of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios. The airport was briefly closed and then used to ferry troops from Greece to support the coup. After reopening to civilian traffic, Turkey invaded the island, bombing the airport and causing extensive damage to the runway.
Nicosia Airport is still owned by the British Ministry of Defence, but it is under the control of the United Nations and is used as their headquarters in Cyprus.
Yes, there have been several attempts to reopen the airport, including in the mid-1990s when the United Nations agreed that the airport could be reopened for civilian and cargo traffic under UN administration. However, reunification talks have failed to yield any results, and the airport remains abandoned.
Nicosia Airport has been described as "frozen in time" for the past 50 years, with the terminal deteriorating over time due to weather and structural damage from the 1974 conflict. The airport has become a symbol of a divided Cyprus, with Greek Cypriots living in the south and Turkish Cypriots in the north.
