Paphos Castle is located at the western end of the city port. It was originally a

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

fortress built to protect the port. Today, the visitor can see the Western Frankish Tower with the Venetian additions as restored by the

Ottomans The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922). Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...

in 1592, according to a relevant inscription above the entrance of the castle. A white marble slab (dimensions: 150 × 40 cm) above the entrance of the tower refers to its reconstruction in 1592 AD, by the Turkish governor of Cyprus Ahmet Pasha (1589–1593). The main fortress of the city was located in

Saranta Kolones Saranta Kolones ( el, Κάστρο Σαράντα Κολώνες, Forty columns castle) is a ruined medieval fortress inside the Paphos Archaeological Park and it is located just north of the harbour of Paphos, on the island of Cyprus. It takes ...

, about 600 meters west, and was destroyed by the earthquake of 1222.

History

The original Byzantine fortress was destroyed in the earthquake of 1222. It was rebuilt and expanded by the

Lusignans The House of Lusignan ( ; ) was a royal house of French origin, which at various times ruled several principalities in Europe and the Levant, including the kingdoms of Jerusalem, Cyprus, and Armenia, from the 12th through the 15th centuries dur ...

in the 13th century. They also built the so-called "Genoese Towers". It is a castle consisting of a complex of 2 towers, the ruins of which are located 80 meters east of the Castle, right at the entrance of the port and served as the best defense. Although these towers were considered subservient to the larger castle they had no contact with each other and were probably a separate castle. They got their name because of their importance in the battle against the Genoese in 1373, where they played an important role in the defense of the city port, as the Genoese were mainly a naval force. They were also important in the battle against the

Mamluks Mamluk ( ar, مملوك, mamlūk (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural), translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave", also transliterated as ''Mameluke'', ''mamluq'', ''mamluke'', ''mameluk'', ''mameluke'', ''mamaluke'', or ''marmeluke'') i ...

in 1426, where they suffered severe damage and have not been rebuilt since. The Towers were destroyed after a strong earthquake in 1491, but their ruins are still visible. The castle was maintained by the Venetians who made some additions. The Castle resisted the Genoese invasion in 1373 and was one of the few not covered by the Mamluks in 1426, under the guidance of its Guardsman, Sforza, who was a fierce Spanish mercenary. In August 1570, when the Turks landed, his guard failed to leave it, as was the case in other cases. Despite the bravery of the defenders and the good position of the Castle after 16 days of fierce fighting, his guard resisted inside the Castle which was destroyed. The Ottomans repaired the ruins of the castle, based on the original building, as due to its strong construction there was no complete destruction. The castle during the Turkish occupation had a guard of 100 men and 12 cannons which left with the arrival of the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

in 1878.

Architecture

The main part of the castle consists of a large rectangular tower (dimensions: 40 × 20 m) with a closed

courtyard A courtyard or court is a circumscribed area, often surrounded by a building or complex, that is open to the sky. Courtyards are common elements in both Western and Eastern building patterns and have been used by both ancient and contemporary ...

in the middle. The ground floor consists of a central hall with small rooms and large rooms on each of its two large sides, which were used as prisons and barracks during the Ottoman rule. On the roof there is a small square Tower (dimensions: 15 × 10 m) with three large rooms, where the Guard of the Castle lived. At the same level around the perimeter there are 12 ramparts on the roof, which could hold a corresponding number of cannons during the Turkish occupation. In 1878, with the arrival of the British, the Castle ceased to be used for military purposes and became a salt depot until 1935, when it was declared an ancient monument under the

Antiquities Act The Antiquities Act of 1906 (, , ), is an act that was passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by Theodore Roosevelt on June 8, 1906. This law gives the President of the United States the authority to, by presidential procla ...

. Since then it represents one of the most characteristic landmarks of the city of Paphos. In 1938-9 various cracks in the walls and the breakwater were repaired. The castle was devastated by the earthquake of 1953 and repairs were completed in 1969. It was also hit by the Turkish air and naval forces during the bombing of the port of Paphos on July 21, 1974, but suffered no serious damage. Most recently, the castle serves as the setting for the annual Paphos Outdoor Cultural Festival in September. Several archeological excavations have been carried out to investigate its past.

Tourism

Currently, the castle is used as a tourist attraction and occasionally has thematic exhibitions. Admission is € 2.50, visiting hours are 8: 30-17: 00 in winter and 8: 30-19: 30 during summer. The ground floor of the Castle is accessible for people using a wheelchair, but not the Upper floor.

References

External links

* {{Castles in Cyprus 13th-century fortifications Castles in Cyprus Buildings and structures in Paphos