Those of us who live in Nicosia probably don’t realise just how historic our town is. Every step echoes journeys past: a stroll down Ledra street takes a centuries-old path; a walk round the Old Town can whisk you back a thousand years; head to Famagusta Gate and you’re treading the dust of caravanserais, traders and merchants long dead and gone. In short, our capital is steeped in history, and it’s this rich past that the Leventis Municipal Museum has chosen to honour with its new temporary exhibition: Nicosia, the Birth and Growth of a Capital – Byzantine to Mediaeval Period.
It opened this week and is of such import that it will run until January 2019 showcasing the major peoples, events and developments of the capital from the 10th century (a time when Nicosia first became the administrative centre of the island), through Lusignan rule to the year 1570 and the Ottoman Turks. Unfolding along a “magical historical route” across three floors of the museum, this is an exhibition which takes advantage of a wealth of technology – incorporating 3D modelling, interactive exhibits, and touch screen videography – and features items lent by state bodies, museums, cultural foundations and private collectors.
Working backwards in time from its starting point, Birth of a Capital begins in the Orientation Hall with a digital model of the present-day city (created by the Cyprus Institute in cooperation with the museum), along with a wealth of photographic and informational features, and is enriched by exhibits of stone architectural elements taken from Mediaeval monuments.
The route carries on across the first floor of the museum’s permanent collections (dedicated to the Byzantine-Medieval Years) taking in what is probably the most exciting display of the entire exhibition – and one which has travelled all the way from Italy: the Music Codex of Cyprus.
An extremely valuable source of information on the polyphonic music of Medieval Europe, the Codex was originally transported to Italy as part of the dowry of Anne Lusignan, daughter of King Janus of Cyprus, on her wedding to Louis of Savoy in the 15th century. Returning to Cyprus 600 years on courtesy of the University Library of Turin, the Codex is one of the most important medieval manuscripts of the times – a must-see for both historians and musicians.
Onward and upward, the exhibition takes in the Collection of Mediaeval Pottery (which references the existence of pottery workshops in Nicosia along with the presentation of significant items of Gothic art), followed by the exclusive paintings and exhibits related to Cyprus’ most famous queen in the Caterina Cornaro Hall. This presentation places special emphasis on the citadels and fortifications of the city of Nicosia, spanning the period from the creation of the city’s first Byzantine castle to the construction of the Venetian walls.
Next up in this comprehensive exhibition, the museum’s Hall of Maps takes a cartographic look at the past. Books, manuscripts and other items of particular historical significance allude to the Ottoman siege of Nicosia in 1570, with a wealth of helmets, swords, bullets and representations on engravings all indicating the historical turning point when Nicosia passed from Venetian to Ottoman rule.
Then it’s up to the next floor, the culmination of the exhibition, which focuses more on the everyday: aspects of Byzantine and Medieval culture, social structure and the lives of those of the time. People, institutions and laws, religious life and art are all covered in this section of the exhibition, which charts the city’s growth, structures and human activities through such items as coins, rare books, pictures, tokens of remembrance and household items.
Running in parallel, a diversified programme of lectures, theatrical and music performances, special tours, educational activities and other similar events are set for the coming months, making for an unmissable exhibition with a little something for everyone. There’s architecture, sociology, music and art for the creatives; warfare, fortifications, tactics and cartography for the strategists; 3D modelling and interactive media for the technology buffs; and a host of personal stories and items for those who are intrigued by the characters of the past who have made our capital what it is today.
Nicosia The Birth and Growth of a Capital – Byzantine to Medieval Period
At the Leventis Municipal Museum until January 7, 2019. For more information, call 22 661475, email [email protected], or visit leventismuseum.org.cy
