Morphou

Morphou (Greek: Μόρφου (Morfou), Turkish: Omorfo/Güzelyurt) is a town in the north-western part of Cyprus. Internationally considered as occupied territory of the Republic of Cyprus since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, it is under the control of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognised only by Turkey.

Morphou was founded by Spartans who brought with them the worship of Aphrodite. In the Middle Ages, the city was referred to as Morphou but also Theomorphou. The Morphou area grew more than half of Cyprus citrus fruits. In 16th and 17th centuries, during Ottoman period, Morphou was famous for it's export of linen.

It contains one of the many churches in the country dedicated to St. Mamas, popularly believed to have lived as a hermit in a cave near Morphou. According to local legend, he was a hermit living in very poor circumstances and when the authorities tried to tax him, he evaded them. Soldiers were sent out and captured him but on the way back to town, he saw a lion attacking a lamb, escaped the soldiers, saved the lamb, jumped on the lion's back and in that way came to town. His bravery earned him exemption from tax, hence his traditional attribute.

Before 1974, Morphou was an almost entirely Greek Cypriot community. According to the 1960 population census it was inhabited by 6480 Greeks Cypriots, 123 Turkish Cypriots and 32 Maronites. Between 1907 and 1948, Morphou was one of the prominent stations of the Cyprus Government Railway.

As a result of the Turkish invasion in 1974, the whole of its Greek Cypriot population was forced to leave their homes and properties and flee to the areas under the control of the Republic of Cyprus. The land left by the Greek Cypriots was given to Turkish Cypriot refugees from the south (mainly refugees from Paphos) and soldiers from Turkey. Given the bad economy and infrastructure of the town; the new trend is the majority of Turkish Cypriots moving to other places in the north part of Cyprus(mainly Nicosia and Kyrenia).