Ömeriye Mosquem seen from the Shacolas Tower (aka Ledras Tower), a highrise building, located in the old town of Nicosia.

The site of the mosque was originally occupied by the Augustinian Church of Saint Mary, which dated back to the 14th century. During the Ottoman-Venetian War of 1570–73, the church was heavily damaged during the siege of Nicosia in 1570.

Lala Mustafa Pasha, the Ottoman commander, ordered a mosque to be built on the site of the former church, based on a popular belief that Umar, second caliph of Islam, was buried at this site in 7th century.