Inside the eerie abandoned airport once used as an RAF base where planes have been left to rot for FIVE decades - and why holidaymakers will never pass through it again

21 hours ago 2

By PERKIN AMALARAJ

Published: 16:10 EDT, 12 May 2025 | Updated: 16:12 EDT, 12 May 2025

Harrowing images person revealed the eerie remains of Nicosia International Airport, wherever planes person been near to rot since the tract was abandoned successful 1974. 

The once-bustling transport hub, located successful the Lakatamia suburb westbound of Nicosia, Cyprus, present stands arsenic a haunting relic frozen successful time.

Images amusement the derelict terminal, decaying runways, and craft that person been near untouched for decades, creating an eerie clip capsule of the island's turbulent past.

Originally built successful the 1920s arsenic an RAF base, Nicosia International Airport played a important relation successful World War II, serving arsenic a cardinal stopover for subject and civilian flights. By the 1950s and 1960s, it had go a large gateway for tourists, adjacent attracting Hollywood celebrities specified arsenic Elizabeth Taylor.

However, successful 1974, struggle betwixt Greek and Turkish forces led to its demolition and consequent abandonment. The airdrome was officially closed to commercialized flights pursuing the Turkish penetration of Cyprus, leaving it to deteriorate ever since.

In 1977 the past commercialized hose flights near Nicosia Airport nether UN Special Authorisation, erstwhile British Airways engineers retrieved 3 stranded Cyprus Airways craft and flew them to London.

Today, the airdrome lies wrong a United Nations Protected Area (UNPA) and remains mostly off-limits to the public. Despite this, it has go a coveted determination for municipality explorers fascinated by its decayed grandeur and humanities significance.

Ben (31) from Cambridge, England, an municipality explorer known online arsenic 'Places Forgotten,' ventured to the airdrome unsocial to papers its haunting remains.

'I wanted to research this for astir 3 years,' said Ben, 31, from Cambridge.

Images amusement the derelict terminal, decaying runways, and craft that person been near untouched for decades

Originally built successful the 1920s arsenic an RAF base, Nicosia International Airport played a important relation successful World War II , serving arsenic a cardinal stopover for subject and civilian flights

By the 1950s and 1960s, it had go a large gateway for tourists, adjacent attracting Hollywood celebrities specified arsenic Elizabeth Taylor

In 1977 the past commercialized hose flights near Nicosia Airport nether UN Special Authorisation

Despite its eerie silence, Nicosia International Airport remains a almighty awesome of the past

'I decided to spell and spot it because, obviously, it's a precise absorbing humanities site.

'I'd seen pictures of it, and I wanted to spot it successful person.'

Ben described the tract arsenic a chilling clip capsule, mostly untouched since the 1970s.

'The astir astonishing happening astir it was it's evidently been untouched since 1974. I've ne'er explored an abandoned airdrome before, and the information that it inactive had planes determination was crazy.

'It was similar a real-life clip capsule. Hardly anybody ever gets to spot it, and that's conscionable amazing.'

The haunting images service arsenic a stark reminder of Cyprus's divided history, with the airdrome lasting arsenic a ghostly monument to a struggle that reshaped the island.

Despite its eerie silence, Nicosia International Airport remains a almighty awesome of the past, its derelict runways whispering stories of the thousands of travellers who erstwhile passed done its gates.

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