Landmark North Cyprus

Varosha, Cyprus: History of the Fenced-Off Quarter and Its Status

RegionNorth Cyprus

TypeLandmark

About the place

Checked: 25 October 2026.

Varosha: in brief

Varosha (Βαρώσια, Varosha) is the southern quarter of Famagusta on the bay, next to the old town. Until August 1974 it was a resort area with hotels along the beach. After the Turkish invasion its residents fled, and the quarter was fenced off and stood empty for decades.

The UN Security Council reaffirms the status of Varosha as established by its resolutions. In Resolution 550 of 1984, the Council considered attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and called for the transfer of that area to the administration of the United Nations.

Since October 2020, the Turkish side has opened up part of the fenced-off area. The Security Council has called for these measures to be reversed, whilst the EU High Representative has described the further opening announced in July 2021 as an unacceptable unilateral decision to alter the status of Varosha. Below are the history of the quarter and what the UN, the EU and the Republic of Cyprus have to say about its status.

A quarter of Famagusta

Varosha is part of the town of Famagusta, whose municipality, according to the Union of Cyprus Municipalities, is one of nine municipalities that have been under Turkish military occupation since 1974. The municipality retains its legal status, whilst its mayor and council are temporarily operating in the south.

Until 1974, Varosha developed as the modern part of Famagusta, situated outside the medieval walls: it had residential streets, shops and hotels on the beach. In August 1974, during the second phase of the Turkish offensive, the residents were forced to leave the quarter, expecting to return.

They were not allowed to return. The quarter was fenced off, and for many years only the military went in. That is why Varosha is often referred to as a ghost town, but this is merely a description, not a legal status: the UN Security Council confirms that the quarter’s status is established by its resolutions, primarily 550 and 789.

UN resolutions of 1984 and 1992

Security Council Resolution 550 was adopted on 11 May 1984. The Council expressed deep concern about threats of settlement of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants, considered such attempts inadmissible and called for the transfer of the area to the administration of the United Nations. The resolution was supported by 13 members of the Council.

In Resolution 789 of 25 November 1992, the Security Council, amongst other confidence-building measures, called for the area under the control of the UN peacekeeping forces to be extended to include Varosha. This means the quarter was not under UN control, and not the other way round, as is sometimes claimed.

Neither the transfer of Varosha to UN administration nor the extension of the peacekeepers’ zone to include it ever took place. In 2021, the European Union separately called for the immediate lifting of restrictions on the freedom of movement of UN peacekeeping forces in Varosha.

October 2020: the coastline opened

On 6 October 2020, the opening of the Varosha coastline was announced in Ankara. As early as 9 October, the Security Council, in a statement by its President (S/PRST/2020/9), expressed deep concern at this announcement and called for its reversal and for the avoidance of unilateral actions that could raise tensions.

In the same statement, the Council reaffirmed the status of Varosha as established by previous resolutions, including Resolutions 550 and 789, and stated that no action concerning Varosha that is inconsistent with those resolutions should be taken.

Following this, according to press reports, part of the coastline and certain streets in the fenced-off quarter became accessible to visitors from the Turkish side. The Republic of Cyprus, the UN and the EU regard these measures as contravening Security Council resolutions.

July 2021 and the EU’s response

On 20 July 2021, the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot authorities announced the further opening of part of the fenced-off area. According to UN News, citing press reports, the Turkish Cypriot side intended to transfer a 1.35-square-mile area from military to civilian administration and open it up for potential settlement.

On 23 July 2021, the Security Council, in a statement by its President (S/PRST/2021/13), condemned this announcement and called for an immediate reversal of this course of action and the reversal of all measures taken in respect of Varosha since October 2020. The Council reiterated that any attempt to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants is inadmissible.

In a statement dated 20 July 2021, the EU High Representative, Josep Borrell, described the announced measures as an unacceptable unilateral decision to alter the status of Varosha. He emphasised that the EU continues to hold the Turkish government responsible for the situation in Varosha and that Resolutions 550 and 789 must be fully complied with.

Property and residents

UN resolutions link the future of Varosha to its residents: under Resolution 550, settling the quarter with people other than its inhabitants is inadmissible. Many of Varosha’s houses and hotels belong to displaced owners who have been unable to return to their property since 1974.

The Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns that staying in houses and hotels in the north that belong to forcibly displaced Greek Cypriots may result in legal action being taken by the owners. For more information on the legal risks associated with travel and property transactions, see our guide to Northern Cyprus.

In its statements of 2020 and 2021, the Security Council reaffirmed the status of Varosha as established by its resolutions and called for the reversal of the measures taken since October 2020. According to the UN, any decision on the future of the quarter must be in line with these resolutions.

What visitors need to know

Varosha is located in the occupied part of the island, and there are no official visiting regulations published by the Republic of Cyprus, the UN or the EU. According to the Republic of Cyprus Customs list, the crossing points closest to Famagusta are Deryneia and Strovilia and Pergamos in the British Dhekelia base.

A large part of the quarter remains a fenced-off military zone. The UK Foreign Office warns that you could be arrested for taking photographs near military sites — this applies to the whole island — and that its ability to provide consular assistance in the north is limited.

If you’re planning a trip to Famagusta, start with our guide to the old town and our article on Northern Cyprus: they cover crossing points, car insurance and legal risks. It is worth being aware of the UN and EU position on Varosha, as outlined above, before you travel.

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Official sources

The fenced-off area of Varosha seen from the sea · Photo: Zairon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · converted to WebP and resized.