LUSIGNAN HOUSE

This museum (Lüzinyan Evi) is housed in a beautiful early ^15th-century mansion. In theory, it is dedicated to the Lusignan and Poitiers-Lusignan dynasties, who ruled Cyprus from 1192 to 1489. In fact, it covers - superficially - the island's history up to the end of the British era. This reflects the history of the building, which has changed owners and appearance over the centuries. The house was built for Agnès de Lusignan (1387-1449), daughter of King James ^I of Cyprus and Helvis of Brunswick. Never married, Princess Agnès seems to have led a busy life here, carrying out diplomatic and religious activities at the same time, assiduously frequenting the nearby church of Sainte-Catherine (now the Haydarpaşa mosque) and its hospice (Medieval Lapidary Museum). The house was later occupied by the Counts Dampierre de Champagne, who hosted the last Queen of Cyprus Catherine Cornaro, then by two Turkish families, and finally by a Russian artist until 1958. The most interesting room is on the first floor, facing the courtyard with its garden, well and reservoir. It presents the history of the house and houses superb Frankish and Venetian glazed ceramics. Disappointingly, upstairs, four rooms give a brief overview of the British, Ottoman and Frankish periods. Just next door, you can also visit the birthplace of the sinister Alparslan Türkeş (1917-1997), a Turkish ultra-nationalist militant who was Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey in 1977 and 1978.