Explore North Cyprus
Kyrenia Castle
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Kyrenia Castle
Girne, North Cyprus harbour edge
Kyrenia harbour & fortress · 16th c. Venetian walls
at a glance
origin 7th c. Byzantine · over Roman fort [citation:1]
captured 1191 by Richard I (Lionheart) [citation:7]
style Lusignan / Venetian fortification
hours daily 8:00–17:00 (winter till 16:00) [citation:4][citation:8]
entrance approx 80₺ (5€) · open all year
a living fortress · 2000 years of history
Kyrenia Castle (Greek: Κάστρο της Κερύνειας, Turkish: Girne Kalesi) stands at the east edge of the old harbour. Originally a Roman fort, it was enlarged by the Byzantines in the 7th century to guard against Arab raids [citation:1][citation:7]. The Lusignans rebuilt it between 1208–1211, adding square towers, dungeons, and the royal quarters. In 1191 King Richard I captured both the castle and the island after defeating the last Byzantine governor Isaac Komnenos [citation:1][citation:3]. The Venetians gave it its current shape around 1540, thickening walls and adding cannon embrasures to resist Ottoman artillery [citation:1][citation:4].
🏛️ Roman origin
⛪ Byzantine 7th c.
🦁 Richard I 1191
🏰 Lusignan 1208
🎭 Venetian 1540
☪️ Ottoman 1570
🇬🇧 British period
The castle surrendered to the Ottomans in 1570 without a fight after Nicosia fell [citation:4]. Later it served as a police barracks and prison during British rule. Since 1960 it has been a museum, and today the Department of Antiquities maintains it, with iconic collections inside [citation:1].
Kyrenia Shipwreck Museum
One of the oldest merchant vessels ever raised – a Greek ship that sank around 300 BC [citation:7][citation:10]. Discovered in 1965 by diver Andreas Kariolou, the 14‑metre Aleppo pine hull carried amphorae from Kos, Rhodes, almonds, and millstones. It was already 80 years old when it went down, possibly due to piracy (spear marks found in the hull) [citation:10]. Preserved in a climate‑controlled room together with its cargo — a breathtaking window into ancient Mediterranean trade.
4th c. BC
St. George’s Chapel
12th c. Byzantine, reused Roman columns with Corinthian capitals [citation:1][citation:10]
Dungeon
Infamous prison where Joanna L’Aleman was tortured; mannequin display [citation:10]
Lusignan Tower
Royal quarters, guardrooms and arched halls from the 13th–14th c.
Venetian towers
Massive round bastions (NW, SE) for cannon defence [citation:4]
Tomb finds
Neolithic Vrysi, Bronze Age Kirni tombs, Akdeniz ceramics [citation:4][citation:10]
location
Küpdemir Sk, Girne (Kyrenia) – at the harbour entrance [citation:2][citation:8]
walk from town centre: 5 min
overlooking the Mediterranean, ancient moat (dry today)
opening hours
8:00 – 18:00 (summer) [citation:2][citation:5]
winter until 16:00 / 17:00 [citation:4]
small fee (cash & card) · last entry 30 min before close
highlights
walk the ramparts – harbour views [citation:10]
shipwreck hall & amphorae
tomb of Ottoman admiral Sadik Pasha [citation:1][citation:4]
three‑level gun ports
Did you know? Kyrenia Castle appears in the 2009 game Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines (PSP) [citation:1].
Also, three‑lion crest on the inner gate was reused from an older building [citation:4].
Today Kyrenia Castle is the crown of the city – impeccably preserved, open to visitors, and home to the unique Shipwreck Museum.
A must for history lovers and travellers exploring Northern Cyprus.
