St Hilarion Castle

About Cyprus

Cyprus Holidays

Explore Cyprus

Cyprus Fun

Cyprus Food

Cyprus Shopping

Cyprus Life

More Travel

Site Info

[?] Subscribe To This Site

Magical St Hilarion Castle

St Hilarion Castle is one of the most captivating and charming sights on the island and can be found in the five-fingered mountain range (known as the Besparmak Mountains in Turkish or the Pentadaktylos Mountains in Greek).

It was named after the Syrian hermit who took refuge there after fleeing the Holy Land and stayed there until his death. It was initially built during the Arab raids, as a look-out tower to spot incoming pirates from a distance. Richard the Lionheart also used the castle during the Crusades.

st-hilarion-castle-kyrenia-district

Aside from its strategic value, the castle later became the summer holiday residence for Lusignan nobility, and it is believed that royalty also stayed here. The castle you see today is a mixture of Byzantine and Frankish architecture. In the 10th century, a monastery was also built on the site.

The castle is open every day between 9am and 4.30pm.

Explore St Hilarion

No public transport goes here, so you will need to drive up the narrow road leading there. There is a car park, and from here you will have to walk up (you may find the walk up a bit steep so be prepared for this).

The castle has three levels; lower (the largest), middle and upper. You will need at least an hour to cover the castle, but it is definitely worth exploring every floor. Take comfortable walking shoes and bottled water to enjoy it properly.

st-hilarion-kyrenia-castle

The favourite part of the castle for most people is the Royal Apartments from the 14th century. These buildings are quite damaged but still attractive to visit, especially for the so called ‘Queen’s Window’, belonging to Queen Eleanor, that you can find on the second floor of the Royal Apartments.

There are steps to climb to the highest point of the mountain, which offers amazing panoramic views of the island, and especially the northern coastline. Other highlights to look out for include the stables at the lowest level and the Byzantine chapel.

The Legends of St Hilarion Castle

The castle is widely believed to have inspired Walt Disney’s famous ‘Sleeping Beauty’ story and castle. While there has never been any clear confirmation on this, it is easy to believe as the castle and rooms and towers definitely have a “Disney Princess” style about them! St Hilarion was even once described as “a picture-book castle for elf-kings” by the writer, Rose Macauley.

According to Cypriot myth, there is also a hidden 101st room of the castle where there is a magic garden holding many treasures. No one has yet found Room 101 of the castle, so keep your eyes peeled for it!

Return to Explore North Cyprus from St Hilarion Castle
Return to See the Real Cyprus Homepage

SBI!