Haunting Photos Of Cyprus’s Frozen-In-Time Contested Zone

Frozen in Time - The Cyprus Buffer Zone

On July 20, 1974, Turkish soldiers invaded the island of Cyprus. The invasion, which the Turks claimed was aimed at protecting Turkish Cypriots from persecution, ended up splitting the island almost exactly in half.For the past 40 years Cyprus has remained divided between the southern Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which has only been recognized by Turkey. The rest of the international community considers Northern Cyprus to be a Turkish-occupied territory, and the Turkish Army maintains a large force on the island. The dividing line is the United Nations Buffer Zone, which cuts straight through the capital Nicosia and across the rest of the island.Ranging from 11 feet at its narrowest to 4.6 miles at its widest, the zone was hastily evacuated during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. It has remained uninhabited, effectively frozen in time

A former residential property stands abandoned in the United Nations buffer zone in central Nicosia March

Images of airplanes decorate a wall at the abandoned Nicosia International Airport near Nicosia March 10, 2014. Greek and Turkish Cypriots have lived estranged for decades. A power-sharing government crumbled soon after independence from Britain in 1960 and the island has been divided since a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by a Turkish invasion of the north in 1974

The passenger departure area is seen at the abandoned Nicosia International Airport near Nicosia March 10, 2014. Greek and Turkish Cypriots have lived estranged for decades

A warning sign is seen on a wall marking the boundary of the United Nations buffer zone in the Turkish Cypriot area of central Nicosia

A sign marking the boundary of the United Nations buffer zone stands in the district of Famagusta, northern Cyprus

Cars sit abandoned in a former shopping centre in the United Nations buffer zone in central Nicosia. The cars were imported from Japan to be sold at a Toyota dealership. They were stored here during the 1974 conflict and have not been moved since.

A mural showing the Greek and Cypriot flags is painted on a wall in the Greek Cypriot-controlled area of central Nicosia

A watchtower stands along the United Nations buffer zone in the district of Famagusta, northern Cyprus

A former commercial street is seen in the United Nations buffer zone in central Nicosia

A Cyprus Airways passenger jet stands in the abandoned Nicosia International Airport near Nicosia

A military post marking the United Nations buffer zone stands in the Greek Cypriot-controlled area of central Nicosia

A view shows the abandoned Nicosia International Airport near Nicosia

A Cyprus Airways passenger jet stands in the abandoned Nicosia International Airport near Nicosia

A former residential street lies abandoned in the United Nations buffer zone in central Nicosia

Old televisions found and collected by soldiers are seen in an abandoned commercial area in the United Nations buffer zone in central Nicosia

A sign marking the boundary of the United Nations buffer zone stands in the village of Pyla in Cyprus

Advertising billboards are seen at the abandoned Nicosia International Airport near Nicosia

Immigration counters are seen at the abandoned Nicosia International Airport near Nicosia

A Cyprus Airways passenger jet stands in the abandoned Nicosia International Airport near Nicosia

A sign is seen through barbed wire at the abandoned Nicosia International Airport near Nicosia

A view shows the abandoned Nicosia International Airport near Nicosia

A cafe sign is seen at the abandoned Nicosia International Airport near Nicosia March

Bottles stand next to a sink in an abandoned cafe in the United Nations buffer zone in central Nicosia

A firing position protected by sandbags is seen at a former residential property in the United Nations buffer zone in central Nicosia

The kitchen of an cafe lies abandoned in the United Nations buffer zone in central Nicosia

Photographic slides found and collected by soldiers are seen in an abandoned commercial area in the United Nations buffer zone in central Nicosia

Objects found and collected by soldiers are seen in an abandoned commercial area in the United Nations buffer zone in central Nicosia

Coca-Cola and Pepsi bottles stand on a table at an abandoned cafe in the United Nations buffer zone in central Nicosia

A street lies abandoned in the United Nations buffer zone in central Nicosia

An illuminated flag of the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is recognized only by Turkey, is seen overlooking Nicosia