Tackling Residuality through Nicosia’s Market Heritage

Markets were central in the old city of Nicosia for decades, playing a crucial role in bolstering relations between different communities. Locals developed memories and attachments to these everyday spaces, demonstrating how they are part of a common tangible and intangible legacy, which still serves as a strong point of reference of what Nicosia used to be before the partition. The establishment of the buffer zone in 1964 disrupted the marketspace, transforming once bustling market streets, that were a common ground to the ethnically divided neighbourhoods, into disconnected residual spaces. When considering how to mitigate the existing barriers between Nicosians on both sides, these spaces could play a crucial role. Based on the hypothesis that Nicosia’s history as a market city embodies a common, predominantly positively connotated heritage, this study explores its potential in tackling residuality within the area of the historical marketspace and in promoting opportunities for dialogue and encounter. The research was developed through bibliographic research, interviews, and on-site surveys. We propose short and long-term strategies concerning residual spaces and buildings to reactivate and re-center the former marketspace, arguing that these once vivid spaces in the very heart of the city can again assume bridging functions between communities.