The previous Latin Cathedral of St. Nicholas is one of the most impressive Frankish buildings that survived in the Middle East. It is the largest medieval building in Famagusta and the build commenced in 1298. It should be noted that most major cathedrals in the Middle Ages often took more than 100 years to complete, as well as St. Nicholas, which was completed around the 1400’s. The Gothic style of architecture resembles the great cathedral of Reims in Paris, France. St. Nicholas Cathedral was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman Empire captured Famagusta in 1571 and remains a mosque to this day.