Ozankoy Northern Cyprus

Situated just 3 miles East of Kyrenia, Ozankoy is one of the prettiest villages in Northern Cyprus and is home to a small but truly multi national population!

The residents of the village, which was previously called Kazaphani, have been drawn by the attraction of the peace and tranquillity of Ozankoy’s setting, the beautiful and preserved natural environment around the village and the friendly welcoming nature of the local Turkish Cypriot people.

The village itself is interwoven with olive, carob and lemon trees for which the area around Ozankoy is famous, and any new development in and around the village is required to respect the natural surroundings and build not only sympathetically but also carefully so as not to disturb the ancient trees and the natural habitat of the many flora and fauna species.

In the springtime the village is alive with pretty blossoms, in the winter it is aglow with citrus fruits and in the summer it basks in the beautiful Mediterranean sunshine. The village is located on the edge of the Kyrenia mountain range foothills and its houses wind up and around Fehim Bey Hill to join the low lying residential areas of Bellapais.

From Ozankoy you have one of the best views of Bellapais Abbey as it perches seemingly precariously high above the village on a natural plinth on the mountainside. At night time when the Abbey is all lit up it’s a favourite sight for visitors and residents of Ozankoy.

Ozankoy itself is not without its own unique sights, sounds and flavours. The village is home to a pretty and now well maintained medieval church which was once decorated expansively with frescoes and murals. Sadly many of the precious paintings have deteriorated over the years but luckily the Turkish Cypriot people were able to save the church from complete decay when they arrived in the village. Today the church is often used to house art and cultural exhibitions and events.

The church is dedicated to the virgin of the river and houses an intriguing unmarked tomb dating back to the medieval period. It is believed the tomb houses the church’s founder and possibly his daughters as well.

Ozankoy is also home to an 18th century church and of course a mosque. The mosque is an original structure dating back to the Ottoman period with the pretty domed fountain in the village also believed to date from this period. The mosque has been restored over the years but much of the structure is original. Outside there are tombs belonging to Altunzade Ismail and Mesut Efendi who were two of the founders of the mosque.

There’s an ancient crusader path that joins the villages of Ozankoy and Bellapais and though it is a little overgrown in places it makes an interesting and challenging climb! Alternatively you can wander up the narrow tarmac road to Bellapais and the higher you climb the more incredible the views of the gothic mountains of the Kyrenia range before you and the more breathtaking the views of the Mediterranean Sea, Kyrenia and its harbours behind you.

If you visit Ozankoy be sure to spend time wandering around the pretty, narrow and ancient streets of the village, take in the beautifully preserved old houses side by side with authentic ramshackle buildings. You’ll likely notice the well kept and burgeoning gardens all around as well as the fecund fruit and olive trees. Ozankoy is so close to nature that much of its charm lies therein, it’s what attracted its residents in the first place and its residents now add to nature with their own overflowing gardens.

There are a number of small cafes, bars and restaurants in the village to restore you after a few hours wandering around and Erol’s restaurant possibly offers the best hot and cold mezes in the whole of Cyprus!