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Similar Machairas Monastery, Pentadaktylos, Kykkos Monastery, Metochi Kykkou, Arab Ahmet Mosque | ||
The Central Jail of Nicosia is the only correctional facility in Cyprus and it is run by the Cyprus Prisons Department. It is located to the west of the walled part of the Cypriot city of Nicosia, south of the Green Line. In the facility are detained convicted and unconvicted prisoners of both sexes and of all age groups from 16 years and over.
The Nicosia central prison was built by the British in 1894 and were in use until 1955 as a place of detention of those condemned by the courts to imprisonment, but also as a place of temporary detention of persons under judicial decree.
It is known primarily for the "Imprisoned Graves" where 13 EOKA fighters were interred. Nine of them were hanged by the British, three were killed in action and one died in hospital from his battle wounds.
During the Turkish invasion of Cyprus (1974) battles raged around the Central Jail of Lefkosia. Vastly outnumbered, the Cypriot national guardsmen - aided by corrections officers - managed to fight off the Turks and keep the jail with its Imprisoned Tombs from being captured.