Colonialism in stone: how British architecture shaped Cyprus

More often than not, what the eye becomes accustomed to, it no longer sees. This is also true for our diverse architecture – the buildings we grew up with and take for granted, although it was not the buildings themselves that made the difference.

It is not until we are prompted to take a look at our environment that we get “a-ha” moments and delve a little deeper into the history of the buildings housing ministries and departments – such as the interior ministry in Nicosia and the district administration in Larnaca, as well as the defunct railway stations.

This is why Costas Georghiou’s book British Colonial Architecture in Cyprus, originally published in 2013 and recently reprinted, is so important in reminding us of our architectural legacy and following its influence through the decades.

Georghiou was educated at the English School Nicosia before going to the UK to study and then spending more than 40 years in town planning related issues.

Taking into consideration that colonial administration began in 1878 – although it officially began in 1925 when Cyprus became a colony – and continued until Cyprus gained its independence in 1960, it is no wonder we so often enter or at least pass these hundreds of buildings and infrastructure.

“It is estimated that there are over 700 surviving British colonial buildings and structures and an extensive infrastructure of roads, installations and facilities on the island,” Georghiou says in his book.

Georghiou’s book showcases the buildings erected by the colonial administration, not the hundreds of private ones inspired by the trend.

“The legacy and extent of buildings, infrastructure and the built environment left behind on the island by the British is very substantial and very much part of the Cyprus scene today. Yet, there is little or no real understanding of the significance, value and meaning of this heritage and what it tells us about the character of the colonial administration and its relationship with the indigenous population,” Georghiou explains.

He says that these remnants are “silent but reliable witnesses to a past age, which if read and understood can offer truthful and rewarding insights into the contribution of heritage to the present and to the future”.

The “significant buildings” listed in the book are subdivided into three periods: 1878 till WWI, the period between WWI and WWII, and from WWII till independence in 1960.

There are 59 buildings researched and listed in the book, with some standing out more than others for their familiarity and collective history.

These include the old government house – now the presidential palace – in Nicosia, the government ‘cottage’ in Troodos, St Paul’s Anglican church, the Nicosia public garden, the first English School buildings, Berengaria hotel, Kyperounta sanatorium, the technical schools and the new police headquarters.

“When the British landed in Cyprus in July 1878, they found a neglected and run down backwater of the Ottoman Empire. No modern infrastructure existed,” Georgiou says.

What they did find, however, was “a rich architectural heritage, stretching from pre-historic to classical, mediaeval and later times, mostly in ruins or in a dilapidated state”, as well as “numerous monasteries and churches” maintained in ancient architectural traditions and craftsmanship.

One of the first things the British did on arrival was to map the island for military purposes. They then erected ‘bungalow’ colonial style and Victorian eclectic buildings and left their mark with imperial and commonwealth architecture.

“By May 1951, at long last, the colonial government established a Town Planning and Housing Department in Nicosia”, which is still in operation today and serves as a model for other countries.

Taking a look at the most identifiable buildings, it is interesting to see how they came to be.

OLD GOVERNMENT HOUSE

The old government house in Nicosia – better known as today’s presidential palace – started out as prefabricated barracks in a standard military colonial pattern. The bungalow-type building was capped by a sloping hipped clay tile roof, which was ventilated through triangular slatted dormers.

A more permanent structure was built in the 1930s, following its destruction in the 1931 ‘Oktovriana’ uprising against colonial rule. The building is now fronted by a projecting centrally placed two-storey entrance portico. Above the ground floor central archway, filling the space between the columns and rising above the first-floor balcony parapet, is a huge British Royal Coat of Arms carved in deep relief.

The building was gutted by a fire during the 1974 coup d’ état and repaired in 1976.

GOVERNMENT ‘COTTAGE’

The Troodos hill station was built in 1881 – initially for the high commissioner and later for the British governor – in architecture reminiscent of a hunting lodge or Lake District cottage in England. It was constructed using random rubble from local igneous rock. It included stables, workshops, games rooms and guest houses, and is today used as the president’s summer retreat.

ST PAUL’S

St Paul’s church in Nicosia, next to the labour ministry and opposite the Greek embassy, is built in the Victorian Gothic style. It could be said it was built twice, as the original building on the banks of a stream had to be carefully demolished due to damage, the stones stored and then rebuilt on Byron avenue. Due to the increasing numbers of British people living in Cyprus after WWII, “the church was enlarged towards the West in 1952 by the addition of two bays”. The church became the Anglican cathedral in 1981, after the diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf was created in 1976.

NICOSIA PUBLIC GARDEN

Following the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, the colonial administration and British residents were eager to create appropriate public works to commemorate her long reign, which led to the creation of the Nicosia public garden opposite the Cyprus museum – also in colonial style – in a simple pattern that became a popular place for the public. It lost much of its historic character and features when it was remodelled in the late 20th century and the bandstand and cannons were removed.

FIRST ENGLISH SCHOOL

The first buildings of the English School were constructed between 1907 and 1909 with blueprints drawn in England. Following the 1931 uprising, troops were brought in and given the school to be used as barracks. Today, they house the Nicosia district court.

“The building complex possesses a strong architectural character which reflects the traditions of Britain itself, rather than a colonial architecture which is fashioned to include Cypriot elements or climatic adaptation,” Georghiou points out. The present English School was opened in 1939.

BERENGARIA HOTEL

In the 1920s, there were hardly any hotels in Cyprus and the island was not a popular tourist destination. The Berengaria was built with the aim of attracting British and overseas visitors. Works began in 1928 and the hotel opened for business in 1930.

Named after Berengaria of Navarre, who married King Richard the Lionheart in Cyprus in 1191, the massive 88-room, three-storey building is “perhaps the earliest example of the extensive use of reinforced concrete in Cyprus for a non-industrial structure”.

“Architecturally speaking, the external appearance of main body of the hotel is unremarkable,” with the “distinctive” feature of the building being the “massive square tower with detailing reminiscent of a mediaeval castle”.

KYPEROUNTA SANATORIUM

In 1936, it was deemed necessary to build a hospital to treat people suffering from tuberculosis. Construction started in 1938 and the sanatorium began receiving patients in 1940. The building – now used as the region’s hospital – follows the British historic tradition of fitting wooden security shutters internally in Georgian and Victorian houses.

TECHNICAL SCHOOLS

The colonial administration initiated a programme of technical school building in the early to mid-1950s. By 1959 there were four bi-communal technical schools across the island.

“The architectural style of the buildings has an English flavour incorporating many post-war ‘Festival of Britain’ design elements, coupled with elements from ‘Tropical’ architecture derived from the extensive practice of the architects in other British colonies and emerging British commonwealth states.”

POLICE HEADQUARTERS

In 1956 an extensive new police headquarters complex was planned in Nicosia and completed in 1958.

“The detail of the building is sparse and ordinary. The overall impression is of clean functional efficiency and economy.” However, every window of the 140-room building was fitted with blue alloy sun-shutters which gave it a “distinctive appearance”. Furthermore, electric under floor heating was installed, an innovation at the time in Cyprus.

In conclusion, Georghiou points out that there was no single, uniform British imperial architectural style used in the colonies, and Cyprus was no exception.

In Cyprus in particular, “the rich and varied architectural heritage left behind by the colonial administration does not include any buildings of truly international importance such as found in the big centres of Empire in India, South Africa, Australia or Canada.”

“One would not expect to find such grand and expensive edifices by the Empire’s greatest architects on a small island such as Cyprus,” Georghiou explains.

Given the situation Cyprus was in when taken over by British rule, it was not architecture that made the difference.

“It was not the big public buildings of the colonial government or their style which had the greatest influence on Cypriot architecture and society, but the provision of infrastructure in general, town planning and housing.”

British colonial rule, which took over from the Ottomans, was “the foundation stone of a massive leap forward in education and economic prosperity” and “it led Cyprus in the long term to becoming a member of the European Union in 2004”.

British Colonial Architecture in Cyprus by Costas Georghiou is published by En Tipis Publications. Available at bookshops €51