Ebubekir Pasha Aqueduct
Larnaca, Cyprus

This chain of aqueducts, wells, bridges, canals, fountains, and other water supply installations, built by Ebubekir Pasa in the 18th century, is one of the most important aqueduct systems in Cyprus and the most prominent water vakif in the country. Ebubekir Pasa, beylerbeyi of Cyprus from 1746 to 1748 (1158-1161 AH), began the construction project on the chain of water supply installations in 1747, but was removed from his post in 1748, with building work eventually completed in 1750. He paid for the construction projects himself and put them all under the administration of the Ebubekir Pasa Vakfi, which he had founded.


The Ebukeir Pasha Aqueduct consists of three overground series of cut stone arches, with 75 arches remaining today. The first span, near the Arpera River, had 50 arches, while a second had 12 arches. The third, most prominent, is built over the valley at the village of Ciftlik Pasa, near Larnaca and has 31 arches (possibly 33). This span was restored in a five-year conservation project beginning in 1987. Earlier restorations of the system included projects in 1854 and 1876. The aqueducts were in use until 1939, and today are commonly known as the Kamares (Arches).


Sources:


Bağışkan, Tuncer. 

O

ttoman, Islamic and Islamised monuments in Cyprus


, 137-138. Nicosia, Cyprus: Cyprus Turkish Education Foundation, 2009.


Mikropoulos, Tassos A., ed. Elevating and Safeguarding Culture Using Tools of the Information Society: Dusty traces of the Muslim culture, 466-467. Ioannina: The Educational Approaches to Virtual Reality Laboratory, University of Ioannina, 2008.


Ottoman Cyprus: a collection of studies on history and culture, 142. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2009.

Location

Larnaca, Cyprus

Images & Videos

Associated Names

Associated Collections

Events

1747-1750/1160-1163 AH

Style Periods

1299-1922

Variant Names

Ebu Bekir Pasa Aqueduct
Variant
Bekir Pasha Aqueduct
Variant

Site Types

waterworks

Materials/Techniques