Nicosia: The Nicosia Old Municipal Market has been awarded a Europa Nostra award in the Conservation and Adaptive Reuse category. The European Commission and Europa Nostra, the leading European heritage network, announced the 30 winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2025. This initiative is co-funded under the EU’s Creative Europe Programme.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Municipality of Nicosia is encouraging the public to vote for the Nicosia Old Municipal Market for the Public Choice Award 2025. Voting is open until September 12, 2025, and winners will be honored on October 13 at the European Heritage Awards Ceremony, part of the European Cultural Heritage Summit 2025.
The European Commission and Europa Nostra highlighted in a press release that the Nicosia Old Municipal Market, located near the Buffer Zone dividing the city, has been transformed into AGORA-a multifunctional civic hub merging heritage conservation with innovation and inclusion. Originally designed in 1965 by architect Stavros Economou, the building was a market with municipal offices above. After Nicosia’s 1974 division, part of the building was neglected, while another part was abandoned.
The recent restoration, led by architect George Tsaggarides for the Nicosia Municipality, relied on comprehensive technical research and oral histories. Interviews with original craftspersons and builders provided insights into materials and techniques, complemented by studies of Cypriot post-war architecture and reinforcement analysis. The building was upgraded to meet current Eurocode standards for earthquake resistance, featuring a unified new foundation and structural reinforcements that preserved its original surfaces.
Co-funded with £5.5 million from the European Union and the Republic of Cyprus through the ‘THALIA 2021 – 2027’ programme, the project is a significant investment in Nicosia’s historic center. The restored building retains its original architectural features while fulfilling the technical requirements of its new tenant, CYENS Centre of Excellence, a research and innovation hub supported by local and international partners like UCL and the Max Planck Institute.
The AGORA hub is now a key feature of the city’s emerging Creative Industries Quarter, offering co-working spaces, labs, cultural venues, and hosting events from digital art festivals to skills training. Accessibility improvements include step-free routes, elevators, and digital infrastructure.
The project aims to foster civic renewal and social cohesion through partnerships with Turkish-Cypriot researchers and interns. CYENS engages audiences via youth programs, digital literacy workshops, and outreach, reinforcing the building’s legacy as a gathering place.
Environmentally, the building features photovoltaic panels, daylighting strategies, and recycled materials, earning an Energy Performance Certificate A. Its reuse prevents emissions from demolition and new construction.
AGORA serves as a civic platform linking research, tradition, and public life through modernist heritage reuse, states the press release.