I am fascinated by castles as I look into their great eventful histories reminding us that this little island is immersed in history. We've had earthquakes and occupations throughout our eventful history and the castles are a witness to that.
Arriving in the centre of Limassol by the old port, the Limassol Medieval Castle stands stoically among shops and cafes. It is shaded by age old trees, a cool respite in the heights of summer. According to the tourist leaflet "the thickness of its walls is two metres" and has a "large underground vault." It has been destroyed many times through raids and earthquakes. The castle today houses artifacts from the Early Christian period right until the period of Ottoman rule. It even has a coat of armour and beautifully engraved stone slabs. The castle is a labyrinth of floors and small rooms each showing artifacts from different periods in history. The castle was even used as a prison until 1950, which you could imagine was a dark period in its history.
What the castle is most famous for however is that it was the sight of a royal wedding between Richard the Lionheart and Berengaria of Navarre who was crowned Queen in 1191. It was the only coronation which was not held in England and it is a story which has fascinated romantics and historians alike.
If you reach the top of the castle there's a chance to see spectacular views of old Limassol and the port. It is a breathtaking view and one which you will remember.
Leaving Limassol and heading to Kolossi Castle you will see another type of landscape, that of vineyards. Kolossi castle was built by the Hospitaliers (the Order of St John of Jerusalem) who were given land in 1210 and the castle was used as their residence. Here is where the sweet wine Commandaria was produced which is one of the oldest wines in the world. The castle is a spectacular example of craftmanship with beautifully large rooms overlooking the open spaces of land below. They must have lived a lovely life in that castle, accepted guests and cooked great feasts for them, round roaring fires, serving their Commandaria wine and getting a little tipsy from it. That's how I would imagine it anyway.
So what's in a castle? Much it would seem and there are more than two castles to look at in Cyprus but I've focused on just two. History was made within the walls of both these spectacular castles. Books and articles have been written surrounding the events in these castles and as they grow older they continue to inspire.
