Girne / Kyrenia - middleage Castle and Harbour

Thursday, 15 February 2024 00:00
Written by Portal Editor

With its location directly at the harbor entrance of Girne / Kyrenia, the fortress in its current form, which dates back to the 15th century, gives the impression of an important and impregnable fortress that knows how to protect its citizens.

Good all-round views over the sea and the flat landscape of the surrounding area make the well-considered location of the time a highlight for visitors today.

Powder magazine and the dungeons and torture chambers

In its long history, the fortress was subject to the different architectures of the Roman, Byzantine, Lusignan and, above all, the Venetian eras.

Wilbrand von Oldenburg called the city “Schernis” in the early 13th century, which may have come close to the pronunciation of the Greek name at the time, the transcription of which was often Cerines or Cherines.

The city's sights include the fortress of Kyrenia, the old town center with its narrow, steep streets and the fishing port with the old lighthouse.

There are many historical details to see in the fortress that give this fortress the rating “absolutely worth seeing”, in particular the guard room, the royal Lusignan apartments and the small chapel in the upper part of the fortress as well as the powder magazine and the dungeons and torture chambers to call the lower part.

After the island became independent from Byzantium in 1185, the English King Richard the Lionheart conquered the island in 1191 and captured the state treasure in Kyrenia.

When the Genoese conquered the island in 1373 and King Peter II fled to the Karpas, where he settled in Kantara, the Lusignans managed to reconquer the island from the area around Kyrenia.

The Venetians massively expanded the city's fortifications around 1540 in order to be able to defend the island against the Ottomans. They nevertheless conquered the island between 1570 and 1571. Kyrenia surrendered after Efgenios (Zeno the Younger) Synglitico, Count of Rocca, the leader of the Venetian troops, was killed with his brother Tommaso, the Viscount of Nicosia.

You can climb the fortress walls and walk around the entire castle and enjoy the impressive view of the harbor or watch the boats coming in, a great advantage that the Venetians also knew how to take advantage of when it came to their position on the island went.

There was only one exception in 1571, to everyone's great astonishment, when the Venetians gave up the fortress and handed it over to the Ottomans without a fight.

The port of Kyrenia

The elegantly curved harbor of Kyrenia is “the” place in this pretty harbor town to relax and enjoy.

Particularly refreshing in summer with a light breeze from the sea, the harbor with its bars, restaurants, bars and cafes also offers a cool place in the hot months. Peace and serenity quickly spread when you can watch the boats and yachts arriving and departing while enjoying a cool drink.

The shipwreck museum in the fortress shows an Iron Age shipwreck: the ship from Kyrenia sank around 300 BC. It was discovered in 1965 by the Cypriot diver Andreas Kariolou at a depth of 30 m and recovered from 1967 by Michael Katzev of the University of Pennsylvania.

Please read as well:

Kyrenia - a picturesque venetian Harbor Town

Bellapais Monastery in Kyrenia