Ottoman mausoleum restored in Limassol

A SPECIAL CEREMONY celebrating the restoration of the Ali Dede Ottoman Mausoleum yesterday took place in Limassol.

According to Dr Maria Hadjicosti, curator of antiquities at the Antiquities Department, “the restoration, which began in October of last year and took six months to complete, focused on restoring the building to its former glory. We changed stones on the walls, renovated the roof and auxiliary rooms and made general improvements to the surrounding areas such as the courtyard.”

The cost was £45,000, with the government footing the bill.

Interior Minister Andreas Christou officially reopened the mausoleum at the ceremony.

Hadjicosti explained that the policy of the Antiquities Department is to, “restore every mosque or Muslim monument in the free part of the island. Currently, the number stands at 17.”

The mausoleum was declared an ancient monument by the government in 2002. The curator said that, “it was probably built sometime in the 18th century by the Ottoman authorities and houses the tomb of Ali Dede, an important Turkish inhabitant of Limassol at the time.”

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