Explore Limassol Castle

Limassol Castle is located in the old town, and is a popular attraction for history lovers. It was built in the 14th century over the ruins of a Byzantine castle as a refuge for the crusaders.

The chapel in the Byzantine castle was the setting for marriage between Richard the Lionheart and Berengaria, who later became Queen of England. The castle was later renovated by the Knights of St John and until 1940 was both a prison and an army headquarters for the Britsh.

It is also home to the exhibits of the Cyprus Medieval Museum, which were moved here after the 1974 invasion. They had previously been held in the museum of the same name in Nicosia, which unfortunately was located right on the border of the divided city.

Three silver plates dating back to AD 620 with depictions of King David take pride of place in the museum. They were originally discovered along the northern coast of Cyprus in 1902. A further six plates from the collection were smuggled abroad and can now be seen at the famous Metropolitan Museum in New York.

One of the highlights is the Gothic Great Hall on your right past the entrance. You can find steps from both the great hall and the small rooms to its left which will lead you up to the roof of the castle, where you can enjoy fantastic views of the old city.

The castle is within walking distance of the Turkish district, and after visiting it is nice to go and see the mosque Djami Kebir and enjoy a walk around this area. Look out for the Turkish inscriptions which are still visible on some of the houses. Doing all of this is a nice day out for those who enjoy history and culture, or for those who just want to do something different in Cyprus.

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