Kolossi Castle

Kolossi Castle is located near the Cypriot city of Limassol and is one of the most famous medieval buildings on the island. The fortified fort appeared in the early 13th century, thanks to King Hugo I de Lusignan of Jerusalem and Cyprus. Specialists call Kolossi Castle a fine example of medieval defense architecture.

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Video: Colossi Castle in Limassol

Contents

Highlights

Tourists come here to see the ancient three-story donjon tower made of yellowish limestone blocks and the remains of other buildings. Travelers are also attracted by the wine cellars that belonged to the Knights Hospitallers. It is believed that the dessert wine “Kommandaria”, known far beyond Cyprus, was made here.

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The main square tower of the castle of Kolossi is 22 meters high. Its powerful walls are 16 meters long and more than 1.25 meters thick, so they reliably protected the defending garrison and saved the stone building during earthquakes. Other buildings of the castle are in a more deplorable condition, but the ancient ruins are of great interest to tourists. In the castle you can see the ruins of the farmyard, aqueduct and production facilities.

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The territory of Colossi Castle is open to visitors: from November to March from 8.00 to 17.00, from June to August from 8.00 to 19.30, and in other months from 8.00 to 18.00.

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History of Kolossi Castle

Kolossi Castle was built in 1210, and by the end of the 13th century it became the property of the Knights Hospitallers who settled on the island. The fortification was not only a military but also an economic center, to which 60 surrounding settlements were subordinated. In addition to viticulture, the knights grew sugar cane, and today a former sugar factory stands near the fortress.

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In the XIV century the castle of Kolossi for several years took possession of the Knights Templar. And in the middle of the 15th century, thanks to the manager, the castle was reconstructed and it acquired its modern appearance.

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The ancient tower

The first floor of the donjon used to be a storeroom, and several stone containers for water have been preserved here. The entrance to the tower is located on the second floor, in the center of the south wall, and is reached by a restored wooden lift bridge. The second floor consists of two rooms. The larger room had a fireplace and served as a refectory. And on the wall of the other room you can see a fresco of 2.5 by 2.5 meters, depicting the crucifixion of Jesus, the Mother of God and St. John. Most likely there was a Christian chapel here.

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The upper floor in the Middle Ages housed the dwelling of the commander of the order and the knights’ hall, equipped with small fireplaces. Nowadays, the ceiling in these two rooms rises to 7.5 meters. From the holes preserved in the walls at 4 m from the floor, it is clear that in the Middle Ages a wooden partition on beams divided the third floor in two.

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The perimeter of the roof is framed by a stone berm with loopholes, behind which the defenders of Colossi Castle hid. In peacetime, the roof was used by the Hospitallers as an observation platform. From this place and now offers a wonderful view of the picturesque surroundings of Limassol and green citrus plantations, so all visitors try to get to the observation deck. You can climb up here by a spiral staircase equipped with railings.

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How to get there

Kolossi Castle is located in the south of Cyprus, 10 km west of Limassol, near the southern outskirts of Ipsonas. Tourists reach the castle from Limassol by bus number 17.

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