Kolossi Castle

The Kolossi castle in Limassol, a monument of Cyprus's crusading past, served as a rest station for knights on their way to Jerusalem, more than 700 years today it became one of the most beautiful historical sites in Cyprus. Kolossi Castle was built in the 13th century in Limassol, Cyprus, as a Frankish fortress. Kolossi Castle was built approximately 1210 AD by the Order of Saint John, or Knights Hospitaller, and remained nearly entirely in their control until it was destroyed by Mameluke attacks in 1525. The only time it was interrupted was when it was taken over by the Knights Templar between 1306 and 1313.

Louis de Magnac ordered the current Kolossi Castle to be erected in 1454. On the structure's wall, his coat of arms may be seen. The castle now consists of a three-story keep with a bailey attached. Today, the castle is a single three-story structure with an adjacent rectangular courtyard or bailey of 30 by 40 meters. The remnants of a fourteenth-century sugar mill may be seen just next to the castle.

For approximately €2,50, you may visit the exceptionally well-preserved Crusader stronghold today. You may climb from the basement to the roof to overlook the surrounding region, which is the same view that Kolossi's residents would have experienced millennia ago. Also, look for Louis de Magnac's coat of arms on the castle walls. Visitors may also try some Commandaria, a sweet wine produced in the area. After Richard the Lionheart married Berengaria of Navarre in neighboring Limassol, the king designated the dessert wine to be "wine of kings and king of wines."

Address: MW8M+3J4, Yunus, Cyprus.