110. Moments in our History

The Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation is organizing the exhibition "110: Moments in our history". The exhibition is being held on the occasion of the 110th anniversary of the foundation of the Bank of Cyprus; thus, its symbolic title.

The exhibition is a tribute to man and his energy, to the way in which the birth of an idea, ground-breaking perceptions and single-minded vision may lead to the implementation of goals, to the realization of a dream; in this way reminding each and every one of us that nothing is impossible.

So it was with the story of the Bank of Cyprus, originally founded in 1899 with the name of the “Nicosia Savings Bank”, and reaching where it stands today: one of the largest financial organizations on the island.

A story that began with the vision of the pioneering founders of the Nicosia Savings Bank and continued with that of many people, both distinguished and unknown; with their love and hard work as well as vision; people who contributed their own small ‘stone’ in order to construct the edifice that is the Bank of Cyprus Group of today.

The exhibition presents the ‘Chronology’, with the main stages of the 110-year history of the Bank of Cyprus, as well as the most significant historical events that occurred during the time span in question. Also on display is the office equipment of the period that is linked with the operation of the Bank and which derive from its Historical Archive.

In parallel, scenes from the history of Cyprus are on display. Merely as an indication, we may mention the following: the tree-planting on the sea front of Larnaka by Filios Zanettos in 1922, with its palm trees that have since become a landmark of the town; the creation of the Municipal Gardens of Lemesos by the hero of the Balkan Wars, Mayor Christodoulos Sozos; the founding of the first Boy Scouts Corps in Cyprus by Loizos Philippou in Pafos in 1915; the organization of the ‘Kataklysmos’ festival in Keryneia and the acquatic sporting events in the harbour of the town; the introduction into Ammoochostos of windmills in 1900, which resulted the expansion of farming production in the area. Finally, the founding in 1880 in Lefkosia of the groundbreaking – by the standards of the time – “Cyprus Association”, which had as its aim the diffusion of education and athletics. Members of the Associaton were all well-known personalities of the period (scholars, doctors, lawyers and businessmen), such as Ioannis Economides, Antonios Theodotou and Theofanis Theodotou. Through photographs, the spirit of the age is presented to a public that either feels nostalgia for those years, or one made up of younger people for whom this Cyprus, one that is equally so near and so distant, has only been a faint echo.

The exhibition aims at reminding each and every one of us that nothing is impossible, that man’s vision can make the dream of humanity reality; that in life anything is feasible. A humble weaver that became well-known merchant; the child that leaves his home village and ends up as mayor, as a pioneer of the financial system and a national benefactor; the humble shoe-maker who becomes a famous folk painter; the teacher that fought for women’s rights; the destitute journeyman that became a renowned folk poet; the young athlete of a provincial club becoming one of world-wide fame and an Olympic champion. With this in mind, six basic stories have been chosen, ones of simple, every-day people from the life of the island, who dared and who achieved success: those of Theofila Hadjiantoni, Antonios Theodotou, Michael Kaschialos, Persephone Papadopoulou, Pavlos Liasides and Stavros Giorgis.

In the realization of the exhibition advanced technology has been employed, communicating to the visitor the feeling of originality and evolution: a fundamental feature of the stories, but also of the story itself of the Bank of Cyprus Group.

Opening Hours
Monday - Friday 10:00a.m. - 1:00p.m. / 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday 10:00a.m. - 9:00 p.m.