Abstract

The article answers the question, how deep were and are the influences of the Balkan culture in Cyprus, which lies far beyond the Balkan Peninsula borders, and was a British colony for many years. Social and cultural processes that took place in Cyprus and the Balkan countries are surprisingly similar. Many faiths and cultures coexisted on the island until modern nationalist ideas were formed. Although in the 20th century as a result of fighting and ethnic cleansing Cyprus itself ceased to be a frontier, one may try a broader perspective. Pronounced intermingling of Ottoman and British influences induces the conclusion that even today it seems the current image of Cyprus as a frontier of the Balkans.