Kolossi Castle is a medieval castle – Crusader stronghold , 10 km west of Limassol, on the southern coast of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus.
The castle was built at the beginning of the 13th century by King Hugo I of Cyprus, The current castle was built in 1454 by the Hospitallers under Kolossi’s commander, Louis de Magnac, whose coat of arms can be seen carved into the castle walls.
The castle was of great strategic importance for the administration of southern Cyprus and also served as a warehouse for sugar, one of Cyprus’ most important export goods in the Middle Ages.The 3 meter thick walls form a square with a side of 21 meters by 29 meters high. The arms of Grand Master Jean de Lastic are visible on the eastern wall. They are also in the presence of his successor Jacques de Milly and possibly those of Louis de Magnac.
Today the castle’s residential tower and the former sugar mill as well as parts of the surrounding walls are still preserved.
Access : Coordinates: 34.665273, 32.933957 /
Highlights :
- Due to rivalry between factions in the Crusader Kingdom of Cyprus, the castle was taken by the Knights Templar in 1306, but returned to the Hospitallers in 1313 following the abolition of the Templars.
- Kolossi Castle appears in many works of fiction, including La milicia de Dios by Spanish writer Eduardo García-Ontiveros Cerdeño. It also appears in Snow Wasted by Cypriot author Matthew Malekos and in novels by several British writers, including Race of Scorpions: The House of Noccolo by Dorothy Dunnett, Finding Sixpence by Michael Paraskos and Lionheart by Stewart Binns.
- The neighboring church of Agios Eustathios served as the castle chapel.
Go next : Kolossi , a village of Limassol district in Cyprus. / Episkopi , a village in the district of Limassol in Cyprus.
