Omorfita

{{Infobox settlement   |name = Omorfita |native_name = {{native name|el|Ομορφίτα|italics=no}}<br />{{native name|tr|Küçük Kaymaklı}} |official_name = |settlement_type =  |motto =  |image_skyline = Sign in Nicosia 05.jpg |imagesize = |image_caption = Warning sign in Nicosia |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |pushpin_map = Cyprus |pushpin_label_position =bottom |pushpin_mapsize = 300 |pushpin_map_caption =Location in Cyprus  |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = {{flag|Cyprus}} |subdivision_type1 =  • [[Districts of Cyprus|District]] |subdivision_name1 = [[Nicosia District]] |subdivision_type2 =  • Municipality |subdivision_name2 = [[Nicosia]] |subdivision_type3 = Country (partially controlled by) |subdivision_name3 = {{flag|Northern Cyprus}} |subdivision_type4 =  • [[Districts of Northern Cyprus|District]] |subdivision_name4 = [[Lefkoşa District]] |subdivision_type5 =  • Municipality |subdivision_name5 = [[Nicosia Turkish Municipality]]  |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |established_title =  |established_date =  |area_magnitude = |unit_pref =Imperial  |area_footnotes = |area_total_km2 =  |area_land_km2 =  |area_metro_km2 =  |population_as_of =2011 |population_footnotes = <ref name=cy_census>[http://www.mof.gov.cy/mof/cystat/statistics.nsf/All/7F6BB26ED9D00A00C2257AD90055542A/$file/POP_CEN_11-POP_PLACE_RESID-EN-130913.xls Census of Cyprus 2011]</ref><ref name=tc_census>Census organised by the Turkish Cypriots in the occupied area http://www.devplan.org/Nufus-2011/nufus%20ikinci_.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106001538/http://www.devplan.org/Nufus-2011/nufus%20ikinci_.pdf |date=2013-11-06 }} retrieved October 2013</ref> |population_note = |population_total =10,856 |population_density_km2 =  |timezone = [[Eastern European Time|EET]] |utc_offset = +2 |timezone_DST = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]] |utc_offset_DST = +3 |coordinates = {{coord|35|11|30|N|33|22|30|E|region:CY_type:city|display=inline,title}} |elevation_footnotes =  |elevation_m = |elevation_ft =  |postal_code_type =  |postal_code = |area_code = |blank_name = |blank_info = |blank1_name = |blank1_info = |website = |footnotes = }} '''Omorfita''' or '''Kuchuk Kaimakli'''<ref>Spelling on Cyprus map according to British survey of 1885 and other publications</ref> ({{langx|el|Ομορφίτα}} {{IPA|el|omorˈfita|}}; {{langx|tr|Küçük Kaymaklı}} {{IPA|tr|cyˈtʃyc kajmakˈɫɯ|}}) is a northeastern quarter of [[Nicosia]], [[Cyprus]].<ref name=cy_census/><ref>6th edition of the publication “Statistical Codes of Municipalities, Communities and Quarters of Cyprus” (publ. Statistical Service of Republic of Cyprus)</ref> Omorfita has been divided since [[Turkish invasion of Cyprus|1974]], its biggest chunk being under the ''[[de facto]]'' control of [[Northern Cyprus]].

==Name== It is Ομορφίτα in Greek, possibly derived from Morphou<ref>"An historical toponymy of Cyprus" by J.C. Goodwin, 5th ed., Nicosia, 1985</ref> or from the Greek word for 'beautiful'. It is ''Küçük Kaymaklı'' in Turkish, which means 'small Kaimakli', the neighbouring suburb of [[Kaimakli]] being referred to as 'big Kaimakli' in Turkish. It seems that Kaimakli derives from ''kaymak'' meaning [the] froth [in a cup of local coffee]. However, Rupert Gunnis states that the suburb took its name from a farm which produced clotted cream which in Turkish is known as ''Kaymak''.<ref>Gunnis, R. (1936) 'Historic Cyprus: A Guide to its Towns & Villages Monasteries & Castles' (by R. Gunnis, pub. K Rustem & Bro, Nicosia), p.241</ref> Küçük Kaimakli was always called Omorfita by Greek Cypriots, meaning “beautiful.” Goodwin, however, claims that the settlers who founded the village came from Morphou and that this is the reason why the village was called Omorfita.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PRIO |url=https://www.prio-cyprus-displacement.net/default.asp?id=339 |access-date=2025-08-07 |website=www.prio-cyprus-displacement.net}}</ref>

==Administration and demographics== Omorfita was formerly an independent village, but was annexed to the municipality of Nicosia on 29 March 1968,<ref name=keshishian>Nicosia, capital of Cyprus then and now, by Kevork Keshishian, Nicosia 1978</ref> the village area becoming a Neighbourhood.<ref name=cy_census/> The population in 1946 was 2,231,<ref>Census of Cyprus, 1946</ref> consisting of 1,236 Greek Cypriots, 995 Turkish Cypriots. At the last Census (2011) it had a population of 10,856.<ref name=cy_census/><ref name=tc_census/><ref>Total - see details in this article</ref> {|class="wikitable sortable" !scope="col"|Area !!scope="col"|Population (2011) |- |align="left"|Omorfita (Turkish control)||align="right"|10,572 |- |align="left"|Omorfita (Cyprus government sector) ||align="right"|284 |- |align="left"|TOTAL ||align="right"|10,856 |}

The village was in the southern part of the village authority area, south of St. Hilarion Road.<ref name=nicplan>Cyprus Town Plan- Nicosia East, 1:7500, publ. Dept of Lands & Surveys, first publ 1984 and revised 1990</ref> The church of St. Demetrianos dates to the early part of the 20th century and is a single nave with a semi-hexagonal apse on the exterior. The nave is divided into 3 bays, with a dome over the central transept bay. The dome is cylindrical, covered in round clay tiles. The roof over the apse was 2 pitched, the exterior walls appear to have been in unplastered dressed ashlar. The church was located in the centre of the nucleated village.<ref>See http://www.cyprustemples.com/ retrieved Dec 2013 (under Omorphita)</ref> The mosque Küçük Kaymaklı Cami (Kuchuk Kaimaklı Jami) is in the south of the village, south of the church.<ref name=nicplan/>

The centre of Omorfita is about 1 mile north of the historic centre of Nicosia (i.e. Saray/Atatürk Square) and is 433 ft. above sea level, with the river [[Pediaios]] passing along its northern border.

[[File:Kaimakli-Omorphita 1885.png|thumb|left|x250px|Map of Kaimakli and Omorphita/Kuchuk Kaimakli in relation to Nicosia, in 1885]]

==History== Omorfita was always a mixed village. According to the Ottoman census of 1831, Christians constituted almost 55% of the population. However, this proportion declined to 47.5% by 1931. Fifteen years later, the 1946 census shows that the Greek Cypriot proportion had again increased to 55%. During the late 1950s it was the scene of intensive fighting between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot irregulars. During this time many Greek Cypriots left Omorfita and the Turkish Cypriots left Kaimakli. In 1960, the population of Omorfita was 6,259 (1,123 Greek Cypriots and 5,126 Turkish Cypriots).<ref name=prio>PRIO (Peace Research Institute Oslo). http://www.prio-cyprus-displacement.net/default_print.asp?id=339 Retrieved Dec 2013</ref>

===Current Division === Almost half of the village is still situated in the buffer zone or militarized areas. However, the other non-affected parts of the village are mainly occupied by its original Turkish Cypriot inhabitants and displaced Turkish Cypriots who moved there sometime after 1974. In addition, there are many other non-displaced Turkish Cypriots from elsewhere who have moved to this neighbourhood over the past two decades, living in new developments. In addition, many Turkish nationals who work in Cyprus live in this neighbourhood.<ref name=prio/>

An area of 71 streets in the eastern part of the Neighbourhood remains under the control of the Cyprus government.<ref name=cilis>Municipality/Community, Quarter and Street Index published by Ministry of Information (CILIS_streets_022011)</ref>

When Greek Cypriot paramilitaries attacked the village in December 1963, all the Turkish Cypriot inhabitants of Omorfita fled their homes. Most of these displaced persons moved to the Turkish Cypriot quarter of the walled city Nicosia or to Ortakeuy, Guenyeli and Hamid Mandres. Approximately 5,500 Turkish Cypriots were displaced from Omorfita. The third conflict-related displacement took place in the summer of 1974, when all the Greek Cypriots from the village fled from the advancing Turkish army and Turkish Cypriot Fighters in July and August 1974. Currently, like the rest of the displaced Greek Cypriots, the Greek Cypriots of Omorfita are scattered throughout the island’s south, with large pockets in towns. The number of the Greek Cypriots who were displaced in 1974 is approximately 2,200 (2,160 in the 1960 census)<ref name=prio/>

==References== {{reflist}} {{Quarters of North Nicosia}} {{Quarters of Nicosia}}

[[Category:Neighbourhoods of Nicosia]]