Bedesten, Nicosia

Bedesten, Nicosia
Bedesten, Lefkoşa. Three dimensional model by Robert Barratt
Religion
District	Nicosia District
Status	Active
Location
Location	Nicosia
Country	Cyprus (de jure)  Northern Cyprus (de facto)
Nicosia
Geographic coordinates	35°10′34″N 33°21′51″E / 35.1761°N 33.3641°E / 35.1761; 33.3641

Bedesten or Bedestan is a historical building in the Selimiye quarter of North Nicosia, North Cyprus, located directly beside the Selimiye Mosque.^[1] The structure has a long and complicated history spanning more than one thousand years. Originally built as a church in about the sixth century, and expanded and rebuilt between the twelfth and sixteenth centuries, dedicated to Saint Nicholas, it was converted to a bedesten, a type of covered market, during the period of Ottoman rule. It is currently used as a cultural centre.