Northern Cyprus opens Byzantine museum to showcase recovered Christian artifacts
LEFKOSA, Northern Cyprus (MNTV) – A newly inaugurated Byzantine museum in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is displaying rare early Christian artworks.
Many of the artifacts were recovered after being looted from churches during the island’s 1974 conflict, cultural authorities announced this week, reported Türkiye’s Daily Sabah.
The Byzantine Museum of the Archbishop Makarios III Foundation opened March 18 after five years of renovations, featuring sixth-century mosaics, frescoes and icons that were systematically stolen and trafficked abroad.
Museum director Ioannis Eliades revealed that over 20,000 religious artifacts remain missing from Northern Cyprus churches.
Key exhibits include reassembled mosaics from the Panagia Kanakaria church, which were hacked into pieces and sold on the black market before being recovered through international litigation.
The collection represents some of the few artworks to survive the Byzantine iconoclasm period.
“This museum documents both our cultural heritage and the scale of its destruction,” Eliades stated, emphasizing its educational mission for younger generations.
While currently housed in TRNC, organizers hope the collection might one day return to original sites if Cyprus reunification occurs.
The opening marks a significant step in preserving Cyprus’s Christian artistic legacy while highlighting ongoing efforts to reclaim stolen artifacts from private collections worldwide.
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