The Ledra Palace Lodge is situated in central Nicosia, Cyprus, and till 1974 was one of many largest and most glamorous accommodations of the capital. The resort was designed by the German Jewish architect Benjamin Günsberg and was constructed between 1947 and 1949 by Cyprus Motels Restricted at a value of approx £240,000 Cyprus kilos on what was then referred to as King Edward VII Avenue, since 1962 Markos Drakos Avenue.
The resort opened on 8 October 1949 within the presence of British Governor Sir Andrew Wright and Vice Mayor of Nicosia George Poulios. It initially had 94 bedrooms and 150 beds, formally rated as de luxe. All rooms had cold and hot water, central heating and a phone. Services included a convention, studying, bridge and ballroom with orchestra. There have been two eating places, two bars and café. Situated throughout the backyard was a swimming pool (which was put in in 1964), paddling pool, kids’s playground and tennis courts. The resort had two extra flooring added in 1967–1968, thus elevating its capability to 200 rooms and 320 beds.
Following the announcement of truce it fell throughout the boundaries of the UN Buffer Zone and from 1974 to 2019 served because the headquarters for Sector 2 United Nations Roulement Regiment (URR) a part of UNFICYP. A 2017 Strategic Evaluation Crew from United Nations Headquarters discovered that attributable to outdated well being and security measures, the higher flooring of the constructing must be vacated by UN forces. A brand new location reverse of the resort, named Wolseley Barracks, was chosen as the brand new headquarters for Sector 2. It has capability for 151 troops and 24 officers and opened in 2019.
The Ledra Palace Lodge has performed host to many excessive degree conferences between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, in addition to tons of of structured battle decision workshops between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot peace builders supported and facilitated each by worldwide organisations (e.g., Fulbright, Institute of Multi-track Diplomacy, United States Company for Worldwide Growth) and native pioneers (e.g., Cyprus Battle Decision Trainers Group). It’s also used because the venue for cultural occasions aiming at bringing the 2 communities nearer collectively in addition to for conferences of basic curiosity.
Since 2004 it has been the location of a chosen crossing level of the Inexperienced Line separating the Republic of Cyprus managed areas from the de facto Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
The curators information us by way of the exhibition ‘Ledra Palace: Dancing on the Line’ and reveal fascinating sides of the story of the Ledra Palace.
Antigone Heraclidou
When Wednesday, October 13 at 6pm
The place Leventis Municipal Museum
Language: English
Electronic mail: [email protected]
The guided excursions going down on the premises of the Museum adjust to all COVID-19 measures underneath the rules of the Ministry of Well being.
Major picture: monument.org
Textual content: wikipedia.org