Kyrenia Castle

Kyrenia Castle principally bears the traces of the Byzantine, Lusignan and Venetian Periods and is remarkably well preserved in the present day. Today, having been extensively renovated and restored, it bears testament to a contemporary understanding of museumship for both local and foreign visitors. Amongst the features to be seen in the castle are the dungeons, the Church of St. George, the Akdeniz village tomb, an enactment of the neolithic settlement at Vrysi, the Kirni Bronze Age tomb, the Venetian Tower, an Exhibition Hall, ancient cisterns, the Lusignan Tower and the Ancient Shipwreck Museum which displays a recovered sunken trading ship dated as of 300 years B.C.E.

The castle was originally constructed to protect the city against attacks by Arab corsairs. Its importance increased during the Lusignan Period when it underwent important structural improvements. This construction was interrupted in 1371 when the castle was besieged by the Genoese in what became the longest siege ever suffered by the castle: - four years. After the lifting of the siege, construction was continued in the light of defensive military strategy of the times. Accordingly defences were constructed primarily against armoured knights and longbowmen. When the Venetians took control of the castle in 1489 they began again to construct the defences bearing in mind the artillery of the Ottomans. North-West and South-East towers were added but, in spite of these precautions, once Lefkosa (Nicosia) had fallen, Girne surrendered to the Ottoman forces in 1570 without a fight. The castle is surrounded by a moat and entrance to the castle was via a drawbridge at the North-Western gate. The moat on the landward side of the castle was filled with water prior to the 14th century.

The three lion crest found on the vault of the inner gate was salvaged from an older building elsewhere and placed here. Within the walls of the castle is the small church of St. George, which was built in the early Byzantine Period of the 11 or 12 century.

Turkish political prisoners held in the castle during the First World War had a tomb built for the Ottoman Admiral Sadik Pasha in the corridor leading to the central courtyard. The current tomb was reinterred here in the castle after 1974 until which time it had been interred in the Baldöken Cemetary in the town centre. Amongst other features of the castle are the North-Western, South-Western and South-Eastern Venetian Towers, a guard room and Great Hall from the Lusignan Period, various dungeons, storage.

Today, Kyrenia Castle stands as a testament to the island's rich and diverse history, attracting visitors from around the world with its impressive architecture, panoramic views, and captivating exhibits. Whether you're a history enthusiast, an architecture buff, or simply seeking to immerse yourself in the past, a visit to Kyrenia Castle is sure to leave a lasting impression.