Description of the attraction
The legendary fortress of Castello, located in the northern part of the city's fortifications, created during the time of the Venetians, is considered one of the most popular attractions in Famagusta. It was built specifically to protect the harbor from attack from the sea. Previously, the citadel was surrounded by a deep moat filled with water, but in the 19th century it had to be drained to prevent the spread of malaria.
The fortress itself is a large quadrangular building, at each corner of which a powerful round tower rises.
It was one of the towers that made this place world famous. It is called "Othello" and was named after the well-known character of the play of the same name by Shakespeare. It is believed that the plot of this work was partially taken from the life of the Venetian military leader Christopher Moreau - in Italian the word "moro" means "moor". He commanded the Cypriot troops from 1505 to 1508, at the same time his wife Desdemona was killed. According to legend, one lieutenant fell in love with her, but she did not accept his advances. Then the rejected man slandered Desdemona, which is why the jealous husband ordered her to be killed. Although formally the murderer of the unfortunate was not Moreau, but it was he who was accused of this crime, after which he was stripped of all titles. And the insidious lieutenant got his position.
But in general, the citadel is no less interesting than the separate tower of Othello. Above the entrance to the fortress there is an image of a winged lion - the symbol of the Venetian Republic. After passing through this arch, you can get into a large courtyard, where there are still ancient bronze cannons and stone catapult cannonballs. Inside the building, tourists are offered to walk along long dark corridors, and they are advised to have a flashlight with them in order to see everything well.
