In the center of Atatürk Square sits the Venetian Column as the main tourist attraction in the area. The column was moved from its original place in 1489 AD, the Temple of Zeus at Salamis, to Nicosia, as a tribute to Venetian rule in Cyprus, and thus, the column is frequently and incorrectly attributed to Venice. At the top of the granite column was the lion of St. Mark, symbolizing the dominance of Venice, and at the bottom, there were the coats of arms of the noble Venetian families.