The building was the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Famagusta. The article credits the Lusignan dynasty, which ruled Cyprus from 1192 to 1489, with its French-influenced design, and notes that Bishop Guy of Ibelin left 20,000 bezants toward construction. It was consecrated in 1328. The article gives conflicting construction periods: 1298 to 1312 in the body and 1298 to about 1400 in the lead.
The style is Rayonnant Gothic, rare outside France and filtered through Rhineland buildings. The article compares it closely to Reims Cathedral and notes its nickname, the Reims of Cyprus. It is the largest medieval building in Famagusta, with three doors, twin towers over the aisles and a flat roof. Earthquakes and the 1571 bombardment damaged the tower tops.
After the Ottoman capture of 1571 it became a mosque, and it was renamed Lala Mustafa Pasha in 1954. It remains an active mosque. The Loggia Bembo was added after 1480.
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