Ghost towns Bashny.Net

Look, compare, surprised.
Compare it in 1974.





And this is - 2007 th.



The difference can be seen immediately: disappeared people, mood, lost the joy of life. Because life is gone. This is - a dead city. Rather, once the resort suburb of Famagusta - Varosha, surrounded on all sides by miles of barbed wire and mesh netting.



In the early 1970s, Famagusta, a city on the east coast of Cyprus, famous ancient monuments and sunny weather, was for beachgoers from all over the world the same things now for "Rousseau tourists" are Turkish or Egyptian Antalya Hurghada. Here loved to bask and swim-rich stars like Elizabeth Taylor or Brigitte Bardot. Inspired by the influx of "money bags" Cypriots were built on the outskirts of Famagusta, in the quarter of Varosha, dozens of modern high-rise buildings, mostly - five star hotels. Luxury they were booked by the British for 20 years ahead! The resort is to equip and by 1974 reached a peak of popularity. In the same year on the island, with the blessing of NATO landed part of the Turkish army to protect the Turkish minority from persecution of the military junta, led by ethnic Greeks. In the zone of occupation (37% in Cyprus) and got Famagusta. The city is divided into Greek and Turkish parts, as Varosha was the neutral zone, which it was decided to enclose fence and guard against all living things.



Varosha resettled in the military, without ceremony. Left to dry on a clothesline linen and beach towels, empty restaurants shone thousands of watts until the bulb burned out. They say that in local stores still hang neprimeryannymi outfits for fashion in 1974. Leaving uneaten breakfast and turn on the TV, 16 thousand local Greeks naively believed in the imminent return. But now, 35 years old entrance here is allowed only representatives of the UN and the soldiers of the Turkish troops who patrol the quarter on a jeep from morning till night, every half hour. In addition, the district is a small Turkish military base where the patrol sleep and eat.





In the days of the death of her great Varosha looters ransacked, primarily soldiers Turks. They say that many local good was subsequently sold ... at the Istanbul market. For many years in an abandoned town and visited a lot of simple stalkers, who for money lead to the zone of curious tourists. Skeletons luxury villas and modest Greek temple on the belt thistle bushes and cacti, among which dart catch stray cats and rats. On the walls of hotels periodically appear graffiti. Varosha can not take pictures, but secretly do many, and one has not yet been shot.





In some places quite easily climb over the fence, and at once trendy beach can pass freely, lie down on the couch with a bottle of beer, and even touch his hand to destroy or unfinished hotel. By the way, on the beach with golden sand cleaned daily garbage.



Today Varosha dead stones - a stumbling block in relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. City put "on the line" from year to year, but the conflicting parties whenever not find the strength to negotiate - for purely "selfish" economic reasons. The Greek community believes that the ghost resort - it's too little in response to the lifting of the embargo from the northern territory of Cyprus. Turks fear that by giving Varosha, they get nothing in return.



Several years ago, the Cypriot authorities have estimated that the restoration of Varosha could cost 10 billion euros. Experts believe that it is easier and more sensible thing would be to carry a ghost town cleaned and replace it with a new city-tale, running backwards time machine: from the past to the future ...