History
The stronghold on a summit almost 950 metres high was probably built by the Byzantines in the 11th century as one link in a chain of lookouts together with St Hilarion and Kantara. In 1191, as Richard the Lionheart conquered Cyprus, the daughter of the island's ruler Isaac Komnenos took refuge here before surrendering to the Crusaders. Under the Lusignans the castle served as a signal post relaying messages to Nicosia and, above all, as a prison for important captives. The Venetians considered it useless and let it fall into ruin in the late 15th century.
What to see
A winding road leads up towards the castle, followed by a steep path with steps. The ruins are divided into a lower castle with a gateway, cisterns and vaulted rooms, and an upper castle on the very summit. From here there is one of the widest panoramas on the island: the Mesaoria plain and Nicosia to the south, the coast and sea to the north, and on a clear day the mountains of Anatolia. A strong wind often blows at the top.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q301376
Popularity: articles about this site in 25 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).