Kyrenia Castle and Shipwreck Museum
A Byzantine, Lusignan and Venetian fortress holding one of the oldest merchant ships ever found, from the 4th century BC.
The castle has guarded the harbour since Byzantine times; the Lusignan kings and the Venetians gave it its current shape, adding cannon bastions in the 16th century. Inside are a courtyard, towers, dungeons and the small 12th-century chapel of St George.
The highlight is the Shipwreck Museum: a merchant ship sank off Kyrenia more than 2,300 years ago with amphorae and almonds. A local diver found it in 1965; the wooden hull is remarkably well preserved.
You can walk almost all the way round on the walls, with views of the harbour, town and mountains.
Tips
- Start with the Shipwreck Museum while it is quiet.
- Lots of steps — wear good shoes.
- In summer arrive at opening time; the courtyard has little shade.
Getting there
At the end of the old harbour promenade.
Prices, opening hours and entry rules change — check official sources before you travel.
Nearby
Kyrenia and the northKyrenia Old HarbourA horseshoe harbour below the castle: old carob warehouses, fishing boats, seafood tavernas and the best sunset on the north coast.
Kyrenia and the northSt Hilarion CastleA fairy-tale castle on crags over 700 metres up — local legend says it inspired Disney’s Snow White castle.
Kyrenia and the northBellapais AbbeyA 13th-century Gothic abbey high above the sea — one of the finest medieval buildings in the eastern Mediterranean.