Selimiye Mosque is a mosque in
North Nicosia in the de facto state of
Northern Cyprus, and the principal Islamic place of worship on the island of Cyprus. It was constructed as a Christian church known as the Cathedral of Saint Sophia, which was built on the site of an earlier
Byzantine church, and was consecrated in 1326. It was converted to a mosque in 1570, following the 50-day
siege of Nicosia, when the area became part of the
Ottoman Empire. A pair of
minarets and other Islamic features were added at that time.
Photograph credit: Alexander Savin