Limassol Castle – Cyprus Medieval Museum

* FREE ticket for members

Lemesos (Limassol) Medieval Castle is located in the heart of the old town, just above the old harbor. Tradition holds that Richard the Lionheart married Berengaria of Navarre here in 1191, crowning her Queen of England. The castle’s fortified walls are of significant archaeological interest and are believed to be remnants of a much larger structure.

The exact date of the castle’s construction is unknown. According to Etienne de Lusignan, it was built in 1193 by Guy de Lusignan, the founder of the Lusignan dynasty. However, the first official mention of the fort dates back to 1228, during Frederic II of Germany’s involvement in Cyprus.

Over the years, the fort endured attacks from various invaders and sustained damage from earthquakes in 1567 and 1568. The Ottomans eventually rebuilt it in its present form in 1590. The original fort was larger, but the current structure incorporates some parts of the earlier building, including the two oblong halls on the ground floor. Beneath the eastern hall, there is a basement with cells that served as a prison until 1950. Today, the castle houses the Medieval Museum of Cyprus.