Kolossi Castle

Kolossi Castle was a former Crusader castle possibly built in 1210 by the Frankish military, when the land of Kolossi was given by King Hugh I to the Knights of the Order of St John of Jerusalem (Hospitallers). Owing to rivalry among the factions in the Crusader Kingdom of Cyprus, the castle was taken by the Knights Templar in 1306, but returned to the Hospitallers in 1313 following the abolition of the Templars. The present castle was built in 1454 by the Hospitallers under the Commander of Kolossi, Louis de Magnac, whose arms can be seen carved into the castle's walls. It held great strategic importance in the Middle Ages, and contained large facilities for the production of sugar from the local sugarcane, one of Cyprus's main exports in the period.

The castle today consists of a single three-storey keep with an attached rectangular enclosure or bailey about 30 by 40 metres. It is a fine example of medieval military architecture and directly connected with a number of important events, which constitute various interesting folds of the agelong and stormy history of Cyprus.

References:

• Wikipedia

Address

Αγίου Αντωνίου, Limassol, Cyprus

Details

Founded: 1454
Category: Castles and fortifications in Cyprus