Caglayan Park (Lefkoşa)

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The Ankara Caglayan Park is the newest of Nicosia's park areas, having been opened at the end of March 2008. It is situated in the moat area, underneath the city walls of the Cevizli (Loredano) Bastion, and will eventually be around twice its present size.
The park provides an area of tranquillity in an otherwise bustling city. The main focal point on entering is a large cage full of peacocks. (Whether they will stay in this cage, or be allowed to roam freely remains to be seen). Because the park wraps itself round the bastion, its full length cannot be seen from any one point. Indeed, a series of meandering paths take you round the park. Children are well catered for, and there are numerous play areas, where they can be safely be left to their own devices. And the parents have not been forgotten either. There are many seating areas where they can relax and watch their children. The park, and indeed the whole area, takes its name from Hüsseyin Cağlayan who had a restaurant nearby.
The park, however, is not new. It has been here for some time, known simply as "Caglayan Park". Once semi-derelict, and an unpleasant place to visit, the area has been transformed with the help of funding from Ankara Municipality to the tune of 1.7 million Turkish Lira. As a thanks to Ankara, the Nicosia authorities changed its name to "Ankara Caglayan Park", not, it must be said, without a great deal of opposition. Whatever your feelings on the name change, however, there is no doubt that this park is an asset to the city, and well worth a diversion to visit.