Converted cathedral thumb|Selimiye Mosque, converted from a cathedral as the right of conquest Perhaps the most iconic religious architecture of Nicosia is the Cathedral of Saint Sophia, also known as the Agia Sophia of Nicosia, which was constructed in the year of 1326 as a Catholic church. It was converted into a mosque and it is located in North Nicosia. It has historically been the main mosque of the city. As a mosque it is known as the Selimiye Mosque which is housed in the largest and oldest surviving Gothic church in Cyprus (interior dimensions: ) possibly constructed on the site of an earlier Byzantine church. During the 50-day Ottoman siege of the city in 1570, the cathedral provided refuge for a great number of people. When the city fell on 9 September, Francesco Contarini, the Bishop of Paphos, delivered the last Christian sermon in the building, in which he asked for divine help and exhorted the people. The cathedral was stormed by Ottoman soldiers, who broke the door and killed the bishop along with others. They smashed or threw out Christian items, such as furniture and ornaments in the cathedralKeshishian, Kevork K. (1978). Nicosia: Capital of Cyprus Then and Now, p. 104, The Mouflon Book and Art Centre. and destroyed the choir as well as the nave. Then, they washed the interior of the mosque to make it ready for the first Friday prayer that it would host on 15 September, which was attended by the commander Lala Mustafa Pasha and saw the official conversion of the cathedral into a mosque. According to Islamic jurisprudence, the main temple of a city conquered by Muslims and not surrendered in peace may be converted to a mosque as a symbol of the takeover and superiority of Islam. This is referred to as "the right of the sword". During the same year, the two minarets were added, as well as Islamic features such as the mihrab (prayer niche) and the minbar (sermon pulpit).
Converted cathedral thumb|Selimiye Mosque, converted from a cathedral as the right of conquest Perhaps the most iconic religious architecture of Nicosia is the Cathedral of Saint Sophia, also known as the Agia Sophia of Nicosia, which was constructed in the year of 1326 as a Catholic church. It was converted into a mosque and it is located in North Nicosia. It has historically been the main mosque of the city. As a mosque it is known as the Selimiye Mosque which is housed in the largest and oldest surviving Gothic church in Cyprus (interior dimensions: ) possibly constructed on the site of an earlier Byzantine church. During the 50-day Ottoman siege of the city in 1570, the cathedral provided refuge for a great number of people. When the city fell on 9 September, Francesco Contarini, the Bishop of Paphos, delivered the last Christian sermon in the building, in which he asked for divine help and exhorted the people. The cathedral was stormed by Ottoman soldiers, who broke the door and killed the bishop along with others. They smashed or threw out Christian items, such as furniture and ornaments in the cathedralKeshishian, Kevork K. (1978). Nicosia: Capital of Cyprus Then and Now, p. 104, The Mouflon Book and Art Centre. and destroyed the choir as well as the nave. Then, they washed the interior of the mosque to make it ready for the first Friday prayer that it would host on 15 September, which was attended by the commander Lala Mustafa Pasha and saw the official conversion of the cathedral into a mosque. According to Islamic jurisprudence, the main temple of a city conquered by Muslims and not surrendered in peace may be converted to a mosque as a symbol of the takeover and superiority of Islam. This is referred to as "the right of the sword". During the same year, the two minarets were added, as well as I.slamic features such as the mihrab (prayer niche) and the minbar (sermon pulpit).