- Type
- Castle
- Built
- 1590 · 16th century
- Style
- Ottoman architecture
- Visiting
- probably – Wikidata lists it as a museum or gives tickets, opening hours or visitor numbers; check before you go
- Coordinates
- 34.6723°, 33.0416°
History
A Byzantine fort probably stood on the site, and under the Lusignan kings a stronghold with a Gothic hall was built here. In the 14th and 15th centuries Limassol was ravaged by the Genoese and the Mamluks, and earthquakes completed the damage. After the Ottoman conquest of Cyprus the building was thoroughly reconstructed, and an inscription over the entrance gives the year 1590. The British used the castle as a prison until the mid-20th century. After restoration, the Cyprus Medieval Museum opened here in 1987.
What to see
The museum fills the vaulted halls of the ground and upper floors, displaying tombstones, weapons, coins, pottery and sculpture from early Christian to Ottoman times. Narrow stairs climb to the roof, with views over the old town, the Kebir Mosque and the harbour. The castle stands a few steps from the seafront promenade and the old port.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q2247315
Popularity: articles about this site in 18 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).