Editing Kyrenia (section)

===British rule===
[[File:(1878)_MAP_OF_KYRENIA.jpg|thumb|Map of Kyrenia in 1878]]
In 1878, following a secret agreement between the [[British Empire|British]] and [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] governments, the island was ceded to Great Britain as a military base in the eastern Mediterranean. At first Great Britain did not undertake major administrative changes, so Kyrenia remained the district's capital. A road was constructed through the mountain pass to connect the town to [[Nicosia]], the island's capital, and the harbour was repaired and expanded to accommodate increasing trade with the opposite coast. The town's municipal affairs were put in order and the municipal council took an active role in cleaning and modernizing the town.

In 1893, a hospital was built through private contributions and effort. By the 1900s (decade), Kyrenia was a buzzing little town with a new school building, its own newspaper, and social, educational, and athletic clubs. It was also a favoured vacation spot for many wealthy Nicosian families. Many homes were converted into pensions and boardinghouses and in 1906, the first hotel, Akteon, was built by the sea.
[[File:St Andrew church Kyrenia.jpg|thumb|St Andrew's Church is part of the Anglican church's [[Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf]].]]
These first decades of British rule however, also saw increased economic hardship for the population. High taxation, frequent droughts, and a world economic depression were precipitating factors for a mass exodus of people from the town and district, first to Egypt and then to the United States. The transfer of the island to British rule also prompted anxiety in the [[Turkish Cypriot]] population, whose numbers stagnated as a significant emigration to [[Anatolia]] took place. Meanwhile, the ratio of the [[Greek Cypriots]] grew significantly from 49% to 67%.<ref name=prio/>

In 1922, the [[Episcopal see]] of Kyrenia relocated back to the town after the completion of a new [[Metropolitan bishop|metropolitan]] building. That same year, the [[Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)|Greco-Turkish war]] brought to a halt all trade with the opposite coast causing a serious economic depression.

Costas Catsellis, a young repatriate from the United States, came to the rescue by building the town's first modern hotels, the Seaview in 1922 and the Dome in 1932. Kyrenia's mild climate, picturesque harbour, numerous archeological sites, panoramic views that combined sea, mountains and vegetation, coupled with modern amenities, soon attracted many travellers and Kyrenia's economy revived through tourism.

After the Second World War, more hotels were built and the town remained a favoured vacation spot for people from Nicosia and foreign travellers alike. To the town's Greek and Turkish inhabitants were added many from Great Britain, who chose Kyrenia as their permanent place of residence.