In Northern Cyprus, the historical aqueduct of Arif-bey has been restored

The restoration of the ancient Arif-bey aqueduct in the vicinity of Famagusta has been completed. The reconstruction of another historical monument was carried out with the participation of the bicommunal technical committee for the preservation of the cultural heritage of Cypriot Turks.

The restoration of the historical Arif-bey aqueducts, located near Gaziköy, was carried out with the support of the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme.

“After the completion of these vital activities, another important tangible heritage has been restored and protected, which is a symbol of the economic, social, and cultural life of our island in the past,” said the committee chairman Ali Tunçay.

It is noted that initially the length of the aqueduct was 457 meters. To this day, a total of 270 meters of ruins and 69 arches have been preserved.

Although the exact date of construction of the structure is unknown, it is presumed that the aqueducts were built to supply water from the stream, also known as Yayla or Çakıllı-Dere, to the Ornut farm.

Depending on the terrain, the arches sometimes exceed human height and have the shape of water arches.

During the restoration work, the area was cleaned, asbestos and vegetation were removed, stone walls were reconstructed, and the joints were re-grouted to strengthen their structural integrity and protect them from atmospheric effects and erosion.