PAPHO DOOR

This fortified gate (Πύλη Πάφου/Pyli Pafou) was the first of three openings created by the Venetians, in 1567, during the construction of Nicosia's ramparts. It has undergone numerous transformations. In 1879, a road was built through its northern part. And, since 1974, it has been topped by a metal communications tower and an ugly bunker that keeps watch over the nearby Turkish occupation zone. However, it still has two wide ramps (designed to raise cannons) surrounding a small tunnel reserved for pedestrians.