Description of the attraction
The history of the Kantara castle began in the Byzantine period, but it acquired special significance only during the reign of the Lusignans in Cyprus. The first mention of it in historical chronicles dates back to 1191 - then Cyprus was captured by the English king Richard the Lionheart.
This castle, located on one of the peaks of the Kyrenia Mountains, was part of a defensive complex, which included several more similar structures - the fortified castles of Buffavento and St. Hilarion, maintaining communication with each other with the help of signal torches. Their main goal was to protect the adjacent territories from Arab raids. Kantara was the easternmost point of this line of defense.
This castle bears the name of the mountain on which it stands - its name comes from the Arabic word meaning "bridge" or "arch". Initially, the monastery of the Virgin Mary of Kantara was located on this site. At the very top of the mountain, you can still see the ruins of a small chapel, which was part of this monastery. It was turned into a fortress by the Lusignans, who erected defensive walls, fortifying them at the corners with powerful towers of various shapes. The castle occupied a relatively small area, since only military units were located there, and there were no additional buildings. The main entrance to the fortress was located on the eastern side of the castle. It is this side that has been best preserved to this day. And in general, Kantara is in much better condition than the rest of the mountain castles of Northern Cyprus.
From the top, where the ruins of Kantara are located, there is a beautiful view of the mountains and forests surrounding it from all sides.
