The Green Line is a 180 kilometer-long (112 miles) stretch of land that divides the island of Cyprus and its capital city of Nicosia. It was created as a demilitarized zone or a buffer, if you prefer, between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot controlled areas of Cyprus after Turkey invaded the Mediterranean island back in 1974. Here, lies an unoccupied piece of land that seems to have been frozen in time.
Now, we know some of you may be wondering what any of this has to do with an automotive website like Carscoop, so let’s cut to the chase and get to the story.
The answer is a stunning gallery from Bo de Visser, a photographer and journalist from The Netherlands, who was able to visit the Green Line in Cyprus and discover an abandoned Toyota dealer lot with an amazing collection of new cars from the 1970s.
The vehicles, as well as the dealership, were apparently abandoned in a hast during the invasion creating a one-of-a-kind time capsule of an assortment of 1970s Toyota models including Corollas and Celicas. The photo gallery along with a description from Bo’s brother, Bart, whom we came in contact with, is available for your viewing pleasure after the jump.
Here's what Bart de Visser told us:
After the invasion by Turkey in 1974 a large part of Northern Cyprus became a cease-fire line, protected by UN and both Cyprus and Turkye.
And while other towns managed to carry on, cities like Famagusta and Nicosia are partly abandoned since then. Rumors were told about car-dealers as Ford and Toyota, where new cars just standing the way they have been parked 33 years ago.
A dream of every car -enthusiast and photographers of abandoned places.
After a long time of negotiating the photographer and journalist Bo de Visser from The Netherlands managed to get inside and made a photo-documentary.
Besides the 'forgotten cars' he discovered a city with a sad history, empty streets with decayed houses.
The many bulletholes in the walls are silent witnesses and keep remembering us why this city was abandoned.
Old advertising signs of forgotten brands, and of course, the Toyota dealer.
'New' cars, with only 37 driven miles.
Many thanks to Bart de Visser!
Source: Urban Travel via VWvortex
[Photos published with permission]
19 Comments:
Wow - what a find, like an eery life size time capsule. Very very sad.
I would start a war to get my hands on some of those cars.. (^_^)
I want all of those !
My father have a TA22 Celica ST & it's epic ! Too bad it's now giving to my uncle & abandoned over 14 years .
This is very sad, i live in cyprus and pictures like these only remind us of all the things we lost in 1974... a real shame..
Real Shame on you Sabbath Andreas. It is really shame for humanity not to see both side of the coin. When the Greek part of Cyprus with the help of the Greece side killed innocent Turks was not shameful. Now that you lost all these materials you are sad.
Rick, I would join your army in an action to recover those cars!!! We owned a 1977 Celica LT!!! If I lived near there i would definetly buy some of those cars...sadly I live on the other side of the world from there.
those damn greedy Turkish invaders, Cyprus is Greek, and will always be Greek, and all the Toyota there belong to Greek, Greek can sell them on ebay and have enough $$ to solve their economic problems.
Wow. That blue car looks far better than anything toyota currently makes.
Simply amazing.
Sign me up for that GT...
Wow, you r really pissed! so 2000 ppl still missing that were surely executed in 1974 and turkey never gave their familys closure, half my countrys been invaded and gone and im supposed to say sorry? Sorry ANONYMOUS but its a no go. And i didnt mean to be mean, but you r the one obviously not seeing the other side of the coin. oh and i forgot the raping of the women and killing of the babys! Yes we had that too, but it was our fault we wanted this as you are sayin. Nobody likes what happened end of story.
This is awesome! I hope that Toyota gets a hold of this or make a museum! These were the WELL BUILT Toyota's!
So there is no way to get in there and buy the cars?
I owned a Z and a Toy Celica. The Z was faster and cooler than sh*t and the Celica was elegant and way before its time. We should rethink these cars.
It would be great if interested parties could contact the prevailing government and allow living former residents in to reclaim what's theirs. Proof required, of course. Then, after they leave, let in anyone else who wants to bid on what's left. Why let anything there decay if there's someone who wants it? I'll bet the bidding would get really interesting on some of that stuff.
The cars have not been recovered all these years be cause the Turks would not allow it. The dealer, Dikran Ouzounian, made hundreds of efforts all these years, especially between 1974-1977, to get back the 52 cars, plus 700 brand new Raleigh bicycles, parts, tires, etc, etc. The Turkish-Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, as well as the Turkish army, never gave their consent. Shame on them! All this, is happening in side European Union in 2011!!!
Wow i would want a 2dr corolla that would be sweet
The UK's ITV showed a TV program with Sir Trevor McDonald touring the (Secret) Mediterranean. In a later episode he visited this place and it is interesting TV. Google and you will find.
I've been there. About 10 years ago. I was in the ATC (Air Training Corps) and I visited RAF Akriotiri and we went in the 'buffer zone' with the UN. I remember walking down there. Never though I'd see any photo's. The whole place is very eery, but this was a stand out memory for me.
Post a Comment