Piri Mehmet Pasha Mosque

Initially a church, this historic build was later twice converted into an Islamic house of worship.

Travelling from the main road up towards the village of Lefke, you will come across this structure also referred to Yukari Mosque and Minareli Mosque.

The Byzantine Empire also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, also stretching over the island of Cyprus.

During the rule Byzantium rule of Cyprus, the church of St. George was erected at this site, the exact date unknown.

From the 7th to 10th century the island was repeatedly subject to Arab raids, after which this church was converted into a mosque – however over the years the site fell into disrepair from neglect.

When the Ottoman Empire extended their stronghold onto the island in 1571 under the leadership of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, one of the empire’s Viziers, a high executive office named Mehmet Bey was governor of the Paphos sancak, administrative divisions of the Ottoman Empire, and soon included the village of Lefke into this greater province.

When in Lefke, Mehmet Bey spotted the neglected mosque and instructed for it to be rebuilt, naming it after his grandfather, Piri Mehmed Pasha, an Ottoman Turk statesman and grand Vizier of the empire from 1518 to 1523.

The mosque is built on an octagon body in a typical Ottoman architectural style, with three arches at the front and five on the sides – the front arches sit on columns. The mosque is also the only in Lefke which reveals a dome, built from hewn stone.

In the gardens of this mosque you will also come across two graves.

The first, a spectacular illustration of an Ottoman tomb belongs to another Vizier, Osman Pasha who died in 1839. Mystery surrounds his death, however one commonly believed tale reveals some insight.

Osman Pasha arrived the same in Cyprus to collect taxes from the island. Naturally arriving by sea, he was welcomes at the port by some attractive Greek females who presented him with beautiful flowers. Soon after the greeting, Osman was taken ill in Nicosia, where doctors advised him to travel to Lefke where the countryside weather and natural habitat would assist in his recovery. 

Even though he took this advice, nine days after arriving in Lefke, he passed away. Some say the flowers he was given upon arrival were poisoned.

His tomb was designed and built in Izmir Turkey by his wife, who later settled in Lefke. It is one of the best examples of an Ottoman tomb, its artwork decorated with nature motifs. The mosque beside is sometimes incorrectly referred to as Osman Pasha as well. 

A second, though less spectacular tomb in the mosque garden is that of Huseyin Agha, reputed to have brought water to Lefke, building aqueducts interlinking with other towns in the district.