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Exterior of the castle in Kyrenia, Cyprus photo by A.Savin –

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Kyrenia Castle

The tourism industry in North Cyprus is undoubtedly centred in the beach city of Kyrenia. To market the entire region, tourism brochures frequently feature images of its harbour and castle.

Numerous excellent hotels can be found both inside and outside the city’s boundaries, making the city and its surroundings an excellent starting point for exploring the remainder of the island.

One of the city’s most renowned monuments is the Kyrenia castle. The castle dominates the old harbour and is the most complete castle on the island, rivalled only by the citadel of Famagusta.

Kyrenia Castle is one of the most famous sites in North Cyprus and is in a remarkable state of preservation making it fully accessible to the public today. Here are the top 10 amazing facts about the castle.

1. It lies at the entrance to the town’s famous harbour

Alter Hafen in Kyrenia (Girne) in Nordzypern photo by Julian Ny膷a –

Kyrenia Castle lies at the entrance to the town’s famous harbour and stands majestic guard over the port. Well worth a visit, the castle is in a remarkable state of preservation and is fully accessible to the public today.

As you approach the castle from the harbour, the sheer power of the walls impresses. The huge round tower that confronts you is truly a work of art. The castle which lies to the northeast of Kyrenia dominates the harbour and is built on a tetragonal form.

2. The castle鈥檚 first evidence is from Roman times

Since the 10th century BC, Kyrenia has existed. Greek traces from the 7th century BC have been found during excavations, although the location was turned into a city during Roman administration.

According to on-site research, the Byzantines constructed the initial fortress in the seventh century to protect the city from the emerging Arab marine threat.

The castle is first mentioned in history in 1191, when King Richard I of England, who was en route to the Third Crusade, conquered Isaac Comnenus, a local governor who had proclaimed himself emperor, and took control of the castle.

After a brief period, Richard gave the island to his cousin Guy de Lusignan, the former king of Jerusalem, who then bought it from the Knights Templar who was unable to hold it due to peasant uprising.

This marked the start of the Frankish Lusignan Kingdom of Cyprus’ 300-year reign (1192鈥�1489). Initially, the castle was quite small. It was enlarged between 1208 and 1211 by John d’Ibelin.

3. Its current shape was built by the Venetians in the 16th century

Kyrenia Castle in Girne, Cyprus photo by Ad Meskens –

The Venetians had taken over Cyprus by 1489, and in 1540 they expanded the fortress to give it its current shape. The main modifications, such as the construction of strong walls and cannon embrasures, were responses to the development of gunpowder artillery in combat.

Although the Venetians gave it its present form in the 16th century, it has been inhabited for at least 800 years.

4. Kyrenia Castle is home to Northern Cyprus’ shipwreck museum

Kasteel Kyrenia photo by Dickelbers –

Kyrenia Castle is home to Northern Cyprus’ shipwreck museum, the setting for one of the world’s most important and well-preserved pieces of marine history.

In one of the rooms of the courtyard, the shipwreck museum displays the wreckage of a Greek merchant ship from the 4th century BC, one of the oldest vessels ever to be recovered, along with its cargo.

The ship was found in 1965 by Greek Cypriot diver Andreas Kariolou. It was filled with millstones and amphorae of wine from Kos and Rhodes. When the ship was destroyed outside Kyrenia harbour, it was on its way to Cyprus.

He presented the wreck to archaeologists in 1967. The ship had been in service for about 80 years when it went down. The ship’s 14-meter-long (47-foot) hull, which was constructed of Aleppo wood and covered in lead, is currently on display at the Museum in a carefully controlled environment.

5. Kyrenia Castle’s main function was military

The modifications included a new entrance, square and horseshoe-shaped towers, embrasures for archers, and dungeons. The Castle’s primary purpose was military.

Additionally, the Venetians added gun apertures at three different heights so they could aim cannon fire at approaching land attackers. They constructed enormous, lengthy ramps inside the castle so they could drag guns up the walls.

The potential for an invasion of Cyprus by the Ottoman Empire, which was fast-growing, worried the Venetians. The Venetians began fortifying Cyprus since the Ottoman mainland was close by and their armies were getting stronger every day.

For protection against artillery fire and to withstand any siege, Kyrenia Castle’s walls were strengthened, thickened, and expanded. The walled gatehouse that is still in existence at the castle’s entrance was built by the Venetians in the place of the old drawbridge.

As fate would have it, the Venetians appeared to have given up without a fight when the Ottoman invasion ultimately took place in 1571!

6. Kyrenia castle was subjected to several sieges

There were numerous sieges of the castle. The longest of the sieges, in the 15th century, lasted nearly four years and forced the unlucky inhabitants to resort to feeding mice and rats.

A Genoese invasion in 1373 nearly destroyed the castle. The Venetians had taken over Cyprus by 1489, and in 1540 they expanded the fortress to give it its current shape.

7. Kyrenia castle’s landward-facing moat was filled with water 

Kyrenia Castle and Port photo by Dickelbers – Wikimedia commons

Before the 14th century AD, the castle’s landward-facing moat was filled with water and served as the castle’s harbour. The Castle’s northwest door, which leads onto a bridge over the moat, is where one enters.

A vaulted passage that leads to the entrance of the Lusignan castle can be reached from the first gate, which is located to the northwest of the fortified wall that the Venetians constructed.

The entrance to the cruciform Church of St. George is on the left side of the corridor.

8. The depths of Kyrenia Castle contain dungeons

The powder magazines, storage spaces, and dungeons are all located in Kyrenia Castle’s depths. A room showing artefacts from several archaeological locations, including the Kirni Bronze Age tomb, the Neolithic settlement at Vrysi and the Akdeniz village tomb, is located off the courtyard.

The northern end of the courtyard also has a tiny gift shop and a basic cafe.

9. Kyrenia castle served as a police barracks under the British administration

The castle served as both a police barracks and training facility under British administration as well as a detention facility for EOKA, the Greek Cypriot resistance movement or the Nationalist Organization of Cypriot Fighters (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston).

Beginning in 1954, EOKA planned several terrorist and sabotage actions against the British government from a clandestine base in the Troodos mountains to advance their goal of union with Greece or Enosis as this union was termed.

Schools were a major focus for pro-Enosis propaganda because it was simple to influence students there.

10. Kyrenia Castle鈥檚 walls  harbour a twelfth-century chapel

Kyrenia castle – Agios Georgios photo by Chris06 –

Within its walls lies a twelfth-century chapel showing reused late Roman capitals. St George’s church dates back to the Early Byzantine Period.