To spot the Shacolas Tower, just look for the tallest beige high-rise with the bold blue and yellow “NKS SHACOLAS” signs near the top-it's hard to miss and stands out above everything around it!
Now, picture this: it’s 1959 in Nicosia, and a brand-new tower is shooting up into the sky, so tall that people tilt their heads back until their hats fall off just trying to see the top. This was Shacolas Tower-though back then it went by Manglis Tower, named after its builder, Costas Manglis. It became the pride of Cyprus, the highest point in Nicosia for nearly 20 years, like a lighthouse guiding dreamers and visionaries. Down below, the first five floors are now buzzing with the latest fashions at H&M, but once, the upper floors were command central for the General Engineering and Hellenic Mining Company.
But here’s where the magic happens: zip up to the 11th floor and you’re in the Shacolas Observatory. You’ll find telescopes, binoculars and, if you listen closely, the whispers of old Nicosia told through multilingual recordings. Photographs and stories show the city as it was, while the modern city bustles below. It’s a mix of nostalgia and progress, with a view that stretches all the way to the mountains. Whether you’re a curious explorer or a secret spy (don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me), the Shacolas Tower is your ticket to seeing Nicosia from a whole new perspective.
