KYRENIA CASTLE

This castle (Girne Kalesi, Κάστρο της Κερύνειας/Kastro tis Kerynias) enjoys a beautiful location at the entrance to the Old Port and houses the Wreck Museum and Kyrenia Archaeological Museum. It is framed by four towers: one Byzantine, one Frankish and two Venetian round towers. The site was occupied by Greek settlers as early as the ^7th century BC and fortified by the Byzantines from the ^7th century onwards to counter Arab raids. Transformed by its various occupants, it has undergone several sieges. In 1191, Richard the Lionheart took it from the Byzantines during the Third Crusade. In 1373, the castle was ravaged by the Genoese. Rebuilt by the Venetians, it took on its present appearance around 1450. A 70 m-long stone bridge leads to the main gate, built around 1400 and defended by a drawbridge until the Ottoman period. After a tunnel, you reach the vast square courtyard planted with palm trees, which houses a café and the former keep where the two museums are housed. Take a walk around the ramparts to enjoy the beautiful views. Near the round north-west tower is the church of Saint-Georges. Built around 1170 and enlarged under the Lusignans, it later served as a passage through the ramparts. To the northeast, the Lusignan tower was built between 1208 and 1211 by Alix de Champagne-Jérusalem, wife of King Hugues ^I of Cyprus. On two levels, loophole-pierced rooms house an exhibition featuring mannequins of soldiers from different periods.