North Cyprus Museums - Nicosia

The Dungeon & Museum of Namik Kemal

This two-stroyed hewn stone dungeon was built on the ruins of the Venetian Palace during the Ottoman era in Cyprus. Namik Kemal, a distinguished nationalist poet, spent his thirty-eight months in this dungeon when he was sent into exile on April 9th 1873 soon after first performance of his play "Vatan or Silistire" at Gedik Pasa theatre on April 1st 1873. The ground-floor, with only one vaulted cell, is in shape of a rectangle and it has low arched entrance door which opens on to the courtyard of the Venetian Palace as well as the two windows in the same wall. When Namik Kemal came to Magusa, he first stayed at the groundfloor, but after a while he was taken to the second storey with the permission of the Cyprus Governer, Veyis Pasa. The steep stone stairs at the side of the building take you to the rectangular second storey which has two large windows, a landing in the front, a marble floor and a timbered ceiling. After having been forgiven by Murat V. of June 3rd 1876, Namik Kemal returned to Istanbul on June 29th 1876. Department of Antiquities and Museums, Planning and Restoration Section started the "Restoration and Environmental Organization Project of the Namik Kemal Dungeon Museum" more or less at the beginning of 1993 and completed it within a short period of six months. Organization of the museum was made with the collaboration of the Department of Culture.