Yet another historic building in Limassol has been reduced to ashes, with state and municipal authorities turning a blind eye to the preservation of our cultural heritage.
The old ‘Apollon’ cinema in the Turkish Cypriot quarter was engulfed in flames on Wednesday afternoon, destroying its interior. The Municipality has since fenced off the site, posting signs warning of a ‘dangerous structure’.
The fire in this historic building has sparked strong reactions from organisations and citizens, who decry the indifference and inaction of the responsible authorities.
It is worth recalling that in February, the Pavlides mansion on Ifigenias Street was also torched within a few hours.
On-site investigations by the Fire Service determined that the fire was due to arson, with police authorities stating that it was set maliciously as traces of flammable substances were detected inside the building.
The Limassol Criminal Investigation Department is investigating to identify the perpetrators, while also seeking closed-circuit surveillance footage from the area. When asked if the arson is linked to the recent attack on the Arnāūt mosque, the Deputy Police Spokesperson, Marinos Vasilliou, stated that, based on current investigations, no connection has been established between the two incidents.
Commenting on the issue of abandoned historic buildings, the President of the Scientific and Technical Chamber (ETEK), Konstantinos Konstanti, stressed that there is no excuse for the destruction of our cultural heritage. ‘We have submitted to Ministries, Municipalities, departments, and services, the demand for a holistic approach to safeguarding our heritage, and it is our sacred duty to protect it,’ he said. He pointed out the lack of initiative to digitally record and document our cultural heritage in a registry, which would enable the formulation of immediate conservation plans.
‘We must take specific actions. Time is not infinite, and in these cases, neglect creates tremendous safety and structural collapse risks. We must act without delay and stop reacting to events,’ he added.
In a statement, the Limassol Municipality mentioned its efforts to salvage and utilise the abandoned ‘Apollon’ cinema. They highlighted that since 2015, they had requested the Ministry of Interior to grant them the premises, initially intending to include it in projects co-funded by the EU’s Regional Development Fund for social and cultural purposes.
However, these plans fell through as the building was leased to a refugee claimant. In 2023, the Municipality again requested the premises, but on May 4, 2024, the Turkish Cypriot Properties Management Service informed them that their request could not be fulfilled.
Operating since 1958 on Meztit Street, the cinema was initially named ‘Taksim’, owned by a Turkish Cypriot. After the Turkish invasion, the owner signed a lease with a Greek Cypriot, and the cinema was renamed ‘Apollon’. The new owner continued screening films until 1987, after which the cinema was eventually abandoned. ın cyprus
