The Selimiye Mosque is one of the most important mosques in North Cyprus (all the great Muslim festivals being conducted here), as well as being one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture on the island. Formerly the Cathedral of St. Sophia, the current building was constructed in the 13th century, but in 1976, it was discovered to have been built over the ruins of an even earlier building. Many Lusignan nobles and kings are buried under the mosque and the carved windows are a fine example of the beauty of Gothic art. Fortunately, the building has defied several powerful earthquakes over the centuries due to its very large and strong flying buttresses. Then, during the Ottomans period, minarets were built over the two partial belfries on either side of the entrance and its walls whitewashed to give the strikingly airy and spacious feel inside the building today.
