Description of the attraction
Kyrenia Castle is located in the old harbor of the ancient city of Kyrenia. The castle was built by the Venetians in the 16th century on the ruins of a large fortress dating back to the time of the Crusaders. But initially this structure was erected in the 7th century by the Byzantines to protect their territories from Arab invaders. It was rebuilt several times, and also constantly passed from hand to hand. As a result, it was captured by the English king Richard the Lionheart, who later gave it to the Lusignan dynasty. After that, in the period from 1208 to 1211, the castle was almost completely rebuilt: its territory increased significantly, new towers and a main entrance appeared, and a special royal residence was built. However, as a result of the war with the Genoese, the fortress was badly damaged. The Venetians were already engaged in its restoration and reconstruction. But despite all their efforts, the Turks soon managed to capture the newly built castle and turn it into a military base.
After Cyprus gained independence, the castle was open to tourists, although during the Greek-Turkish clashes it was still used for military purposes.
Now on the territory of the fortress there is one of the most interesting museums of the city - the shipwreck museum, where you can look at the wreckage of an ancient ship of the 4th century BC, discovered in 1965. It also houses archaeological finds, icons and works of art. In addition, on the territory of the castle there is a beautiful Byzantine church of St. George, which was recently restored.
