St-Peter

The impressive facade of this 14th-century church gives a glimpse of Famagusta’s past before many of its churches were lost. Located behind the Venetian Palace, the stunning flying buttresses now form part of the Ottoman Sinan Pasha Mosque.

Originally built as the church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul during the Lusignan reign of Peter I (1358–1369), its foundation was funded by a wealthy merchant, Simon Nostrano, from his profits on a trip to Syria.

The church features thick walls supported by heavy flying buttresses to resist earthquakes. These structural changes have led to criticism, with George H. Everett Jeffery describing its exterior as lacking the beauty of true Gothic architecture. The true elegance lies in the interior, where Gothic arches rise above rhythmic bays.

Inside, the ceiling is adorned with floral designs and coats of arms, with remnants of Gothic sculptures providing insights into Famagusta’s history. The church fell into disuse during the Venetian period and was repurposed after the Ottoman conquest, becoming the Sinan Pasha Mosque.

During British rule, it served as a grain storage facility, earning the nickname “Bugday Cami” (wheat mosque). In the southern courtyard, you can find the grave of Yirmisekiz Celebi Mehmed Efendi, an Ottoman ambassador to France who died in exile in 1732.