Description
The Dragoman’s two story stone mansion, built in the late 18th century in the old town of Nicosia, not far from the Archbishopric, is the most important specimen of Cypriot urban architecture during the last century of Ottoman occupation (1779 – 1878). A unique monument of modern cultural heritage owing to its distinctive architecture combined with its elaborately painted interior décor, the building operates today as a museum. Its large ground hall and the yard particularly lend themselves to exhibitions, lectures and various cultural events. The guide to this unique monument provides a detailed architectural description of the mansion, a historical analysis of the Ottoman office of the Dragoman, a biographical note on Hadjigeorgakis Kornessios, as well as an account of the history of the mansion and the family who owned it. The guide is amply illustrated with photographs of the exterior and interior of the building, objects inside the mansion, as well as historical documents.
