Abandoned airport of Nicosia

Writes blogger Ilya Varlamov and traveler:

Nicosia International Airport abandoned for almost 40 years. He worked only 6 years old. In 1974, Turkey invaded the northern part of the island, since the airport is located directly in the buffer zone of the United Nations, which separates the Turkish territory from Greek Cyprus.
Under the cut 49 more photos





01. The airport was opened March 27, 1968. It was designed by the German company Dorch-Gehrmann. Half of the money for construction has given the United Kingdom.



02. The airport was designed for the simultaneous service of 800 passengers and 11 aircraft.



03. Posleydny time the plane flew away in 1977. It was 3 Cypriot plane that stayed here 74 years. One of them is now in the Imperial War Museum in London.



04. The airport is not working, since 1974, and currently is under the control of troops UNFICYP, and serves as the headquarters of these forces. July 20, 1974, two empty Cyprus Airways airliners were destroyed on the ground by the Turkish Air Force.



05. 22 July 1974 20 Greek aircraft type Noratlas Nord and 10 aircraft of type C-47 Dakotas of the 354-th Transport Squadron "Pegasus", was commissioned to transport a Greek commando division of troops to protect the Nicosia airport from invading Turkish forces. This operation was code-named Operation NIKI (victory). But in the end it was unable to defend the airport.



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07. Hangar.



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09. Entrance to the building of the airport.



10. It is the corridor along which the passengers had flown to Cyprus.



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12. All slowly collapses.



13. Inside, everything is covered with a thick layer of bird shit.



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15. For 40 years, the birds have managed zasrat entire airport. In some places just do not go.



16. And before departure passengers are waiting ...



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21. Passport control.



22. Buffet.



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25. One of the aircraft that has been damaged by the fighting and could not fly.



26. Hawker Siddeley HS 121 Trident - British plane for lines of small and medium-haul. Release totaled 117 aircraft in five versions. The aircraft was equipped with very advanced for its time, avionics, and became the first airliner that can perform fully automatic landing.



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28. Once the plane was flying! Picture taken one and a half months before the war.



29. In 1977, British engineers stripped him of all valuable equipment.



30. Since then, he stands on the eternal parking lot, surrounded by barbed wire.



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32. Interior looted



33. Everything of value was taken away.



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35. There was a lounge for business class passengers.



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37. Toilet.



38. cockpit.



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41. At the other end of the airport is another plane. Avro Shackleton MR.3, serial number of the XF700, the Royal Air Force bomber. In 1962, due to failure of hydraulic landing gear and not sat on its belly. No one was killed, but the repairs recognized unprofitable.



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