- Address: Λεωφ. Αρχιεπισκόπου Μακαρίου Γ ', Cyprus
- Phone: +357 25 934907
- Opening: 1454
- Architectural style: Gothic architecture
If you still think that Cyprus is only resorts and beaches , visit this place, plunge into the atmosphere of the crusades and see the real citadel of chivalry: the medieval castle of Colossi is on the southern coast of Cyprus east of Limassol at a distance of 10 km. It is located in the middle of a picturesque plain.
Milestones of history
The name of the castle came from the name of the owner of these lands Garinus de Colossa. The castle was erected in the beginning of the 13th century. under the rule of Hugo I de Luzinyan, King of Cyprus and the Kingdom of Jerusalem. On the plain his subjects first built a fortress, after around planted vineyards and sugar cane. The history of the castle is closely connected with the history of these lands.
Since 1210 the castle of Colossi belongs to the Order of St. John, the knights of which, the Hospitallers and the Johannites, he was granted the king. At the end of the same century, Christian possessions in Palestine were lost and knights-Hospitallers, as their main center in the Mediterranean, finally choose Cyprus. Soon Kolossi becomes the richest section in the possession of the Order.
The next significant milestone in the history of the castle is perestroika. Reconstruction took place in the middle of the 15th century. The design of the castle was very strong, but survived many earthquakes, from one of which even Limassol was destroyed. Kolossi Castle, which today can visit the guests of Cyprus, is considered a construction on the ruins of that old castle of the 13th century. From the last there were one ruins: a fragment of an external wall in height of 4 m., Length practically in 20 m and width more meter. This wall surrounded the castle, at the corners stood observation towers in the form of semicircles. One of them housed a deep well (up to 8 m deep), not only its ruins were preserved, it still has water!
Description of the castle
The main building of the castle is a square tower, outwardly it resembles the similar towers of Europe of this period. It rises high at 21 m and at a length of 16 m looks very impressive. The width of the walls of the tower reaches a total of 2.5 meters. Therefore, the internal length of the walls of the tower is less - 13.5 m. The tower has 3 floors.
This kind of tower is called a dungeon, it is a typical example of military construction and Gothic architecture: a tower that is not located on the wall of the castle, but inside the fortress. It turns out that the dungeon is a kind of fortress inside the fortress. So is the Colossi Castle, built of blocks of yellow-gray limestone. Of course, the architecture of this structure does not differ gracefully, but it really amazes with its power.
The entrance to the castle is located on the second floor in the center of the south wall. It is decorated with a ladder made of stone, there is a drawbridge made of wood, equipped with a chain hoist. Thus, the tower was impregnable. And to protect the bridge, there is a special bay window with loopholes.
Under the entrance, on the first floor, there was supposedly a pantry. There are three rooms on the first floor. Like all here, they are separated by walls made of stone, very thick: 90 cm. The openings between the walls are decorated in the form of arches. Accommodation is oriented from east to west. Two of them were conceived for storing water in stone tanks, and from the third room a stone staircase leads to the second floor.
The second floor differs from the first. There are only two rooms here and they are oriented from the south to the north, which makes the fortress more reliable. In a larger area there is a fireplace. Since it is under it that the pantry is located, presumably it was the kitchen. Another room is smaller, its purpose, experts say, is the chapel, since here on the walls there are frescoes with Jesus Christ, the Mother of God and St. John.
The third floor was given for the deployment of the Grand Commander of the island of Cyprus. The layout includes 2 rooms. The Commander's private quarters go to the north, and the knight's drawing room to the other side. In both rooms there are fireplaces and 8 windows. The third floor has high ceilings (7 and a half meters). Since the characteristic openings were preserved at the height, historians assume that initially the floor was divided by wooden floor, that is, there was one more internal floor in the tower. His destiny is an attic, a bedroom - it is not known exactly.
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The floors are connected by a spiral staircase made of stone, numbering 70 steps, each of which has a width of 90 cm. It also leads the staircase to the roof of the castle, which has a typical parapet with a bar on each perimeter: in each of them there is a loophole for shooting arbalests. On the roof there are also two bay windows: to protect the lift bridge and, as historians suppose, for the bower. Today, the roof looks the same as a century ago, as it was restored with the preservation of the historical appearance.
Above the lift bridge of the Kolossi castle at the top of the wall there is an interesting element that can be taken for a balcony. In fact, he does not have a floor, but design is meant to pour boiling resin on the attackers and pour stones. Everything here is subordinated to the idea of defense. For example, the same twisted ladder was traditionally designed in such a way that the defender has the advantage, as he presses against the wall with his left hand, when the right one remains free. The advancing one, on the contrary, has to press himself against the wall with his right side, which binds the go.
Noteworthy is one more detail of the exterior design. The eastern wall in the middle (at the level of the 2nd floor) has a marble panel with a cross and the coats of arms of Lusignac, the Jerusalem and Cyprus kingdoms and Armenia (as in the history there was a period when the King of Cyprus was simultaneously the ruler of Armenia and Jerusalem). Above all the arms are the crown, which unites them, symbolizing the monarchy. On the right and left there are the arms of grand masters of the Order of St. John, and under the main arms there is the coat of arms of Louis de Maniac, the Great Commander of Cyprus, who reconstructed the castle in 1454.
Lock inside
Impressively and powerfully, the castle looks from the outside, an incredible view opens from its observation deck. Inside, it is empty, since there are no items of everyday use in the Middle Ages or restored furniture. Space is perfect for photosets, you can walk and take photos everywhere.
The area around the castle
Near the tower housed farm buildings. So, to our days have reached the ruins of the sugar cane processing plant, which was planted around the castle. You can look around the ruins of a sugar factory mill for reed milling. There are also the remains of a water pipe, through which water was transported to the Kolossi Castle. By the way, the famous Cypriot wine "Commandaria" went from here. Its recognizable "smoky" taste is due to the fact that the wine was produced from a variety of grapes, but not from fresh, but from raisins. Specially wilted berries were kept in baked barrels, so the taste of this wine is unique.
Not far from the castle is another object worthy of attention. This tree, which is two hundred years old. The pink tree was brought here from Argentina. From other vegetation on the territory of the castle there are a lot of citrus, vineyards. A wonderful view of these plantations, as well as the endless sea opens from the observation deck on the roof of the castle.
Around the castle there is a well-kept green territory in the spirit of the Middle Ages. By ruins you can wander, take pictures, but some are closed for passage. Tourists, as a rule, are not limited to visiting the castle itself, inspect the church not far from it. After all, Kolossi is not only a castle, but the whole village.
Having visited the castle of Colossi in Cyprus, you will imbue with the atmosphere of the Middle Ages. It is this tower you will henceforth associate with the knights, after all, Richard the Lionheart himself was married to his lady of heart Berengaria of Navarre. Also in your memory, as an association with Kolossi, you will always have the taste of the "Commandaria" and sugar cane.
How to visit?
This typical medieval castle is now open as a museum. Visit it can be daily from 9 to 17 hours. From April to May and September to October, the castle operates until 18 hours, and from June to August - to 19-30. The entrance fee is 4.5.
From Limassol to Kolossi, a regular bus number 17 is started. Its final stop is right at the castle walls. costs 1.5 euros. Near the castle has its own parking, so it is convenient to get there by car.
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