Kantara Castle description and photos - North Cyprus: Famagusta (Topic)

Kantara Castle description and photos - North Cyprus: Famagusta. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The name in English is Kantara Castle.

Photo and description

The history of the Kantara castle dates back to the Byzantine period, but it acquired special significance only during the reign of the Lusignans in Cyprus. The first mention of it in historical chronicles dates back to 1191 - then Cyprus was captured by the English king Richard the Lionheart.

This castle, located on one of the peaks of the Kyrenia mountains, was part of a defensive complex, which included several more similar structures - fortified castles of Buffavento and St. Hilarion, maintaining communication with each other using signal torches. Their main goal was to protect the adjacent territories from Arab raids. Kantara was the easternmost point of this line of defense.

This castle bears the name of the mountain on which it stands - its name comes from the Arabic word, meaning "bridge" or "arch". Initially, the monastery of the Virgin Mary of Kantara was located on this site. At the very top of the mountain, you can still see the ruins of a small chapel, which was part of this monastery. It was turned into a fortress by the Lusignans, who erected defensive walls, reinforcing them at the corners with powerful towers of various shapes. The castle occupied a relatively small area, since only military units were located there, and there were no additional buildings. The main entrance to the fortress was located on the eastern side of the castle. It is this side that has been best preserved to this day. And in general, Kantara is in much better condition than the other mountain castles of Northern Cyprus.

From the top, where the ruins of Kantara are located, a beautiful view of the mountains and forests surrounding it from all sides opens up.

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Topic: Kantara Castle description and photos - North Cyprus: Famagusta.