«When, having climbed up the gentle hills, you first catch sight of Lefkosia, with its slender palm and minarets and the picturesque mountain range in the background on the scorched plains of Cyprus, it is reminiscent of a scene out of the Arabian nights. A jewel of orange garden and palm trees in an area otherwise devoid of trees, an oasis – created by human hand. And in the same way that the contrast between the city and its surroundings stands out clear and harsh, the spirit of contradiction can also be felt within the city..» Ludwig Salvator, Archbishop of Austria.
