‘BULLDOZING OUR HISTORY’
Department of Antiquities and Museums set to start probe into ‘destruction of historical Crusader Path’
AN INVESTIGATION is to be launched into the “destruction” of the historic “Crusader Path” between Ozanköy and Bellapais Monastery.
Gözem Gökhan, Girne branch supervisor of the Department of Antiquities and Museums, told this newspaper that construction and cleaning activities on the path involving the use of a bulldozer have been “stopped” and that an “investigation will begin next week”.
It is expected that staff from the department will also meet the “owner of the land” in question, who has not been named.
Bellapais muhtar Niyazi Engin said he had informed Girne Municipality officials and the Department of Antiquities and Museums of the “disturbance” to the path after concerned residents had raised complaints.
Mr Engin added that an “unknown” person had decided to spruce up the ancient “neglected” path without authorisation and that construction materials had been left at the site.
After Mr Engin informed Girne Municipality, “municipal police were sent to the site but they could not determine who was behind the destruction”, he said.
“The path needed cleaning, but it cannot be just regular cleaning. Small duty vehicles are needed due to the historic nature of the path. Bulldozers . . . are not fit for cleaning the path.”
Girne Mayor Nidai Güngördü said that when the municipality wanted to clean up the area “three to four years ago”, they were informed by the Department of Antiquities and Museums that the cleaning can “only be done by hand” and that the path should be left in its “natural state” and that “bulldozers cannot enter the area”.
Ozanköy resident Christina Hessenberg, writing to this paper, said that the trail is a favourite walking spot for locals and tourists alike but that it had been “obliterated” recently by lorries and heavy machinery.
“Much has been destroyed — a piece of history has been erased from the heritage of Cyprus . . . Sadly it has gone and it looks like it will be paved or covered in a hard surface.”
When informed by Cyprus Today that the work on the path had been halted, Ms Hessenberg said: “I don’t trust anything personally, we heard that the same person has been stopped before, three or four years ago . . . will [the work] resume again?”
Commenting on the promised investigation, she said: “I’m happy that they are taking it seriously. I don’t know if it was protected, if it was on the list of the Department of Antiquities and Museums.
“I just hope that this can be kept as a walking path and doesn’t become an access road to a development in the future. It is very upsetting to think that it might end up that way. All the walking guides know this track.
“If they get permission, then we have no way of stepping in.”
Taşkent Nature Park biologist and Ozanköy resident Tuğberk Emirzade said: “I know this path as the ‘Roman Road’ as it probably dates from Roman times. It is a very beautiful natural area that I often visit with my children to spend time in nature.
“There are many wild birds and natural vegetation in the valley and along the Roman Road.”
He said that “any intervention is a threat for both the history and the ecology” of the area and that the path “should be under official protection and maintained as a natural and historical heritage park”.
Mr Emirzade added that he has taken part in research that determined the Crusader Path is one of the four important native oak tree areas of North Cyprus, which only had 500 trees in 2011.
Ozanköy muhtar Mustafa Uzun said that he was not aware of the incident and that it “must be nearer to Bellapais” than Ozanköy.
THE Crusader Path as it is known, an old cobbled track from ozanköy (Kazafani) to Bellapais Monastery has recently been obliterated by lorries and heavy machinery. The path has been levelled, widened and cleared of all the old cobblestones. Trees and shrubs have been uprooted and pushed off the edge and debris has completely filled one of the stream beds.
The Crusader Path is legendary. It is believed the footpath was used in medieval times to transport provisions from villages below to the abbey above and used by pilgrims travelling through Cyprus on their way to the Holy Land.
In recent years the trail has been a favourite walk, not just for locals, but has featured in many tourism itineraries.
This trail has been included in walking tours and especially botanical tours due to the diversity of the flora encountered including many orchid species.
The path was lined with yellow acacia, giant fennel, cyclamen and oak trees. The banks were colourful with pink and white rock roses, vetches, blue anchusa and more. Much has been destroyed — a piece of history has been erased from the heritage of Cyprus.
The Crusader Path is well known to visitors who walk in North Cyprus and information about the trail can be found on a number of websites. Sadly it has gone and it looks like it will be paved or covered in a hard surface.