Early morning in Kyrenia harbour, Cyprus
There has been a settlement at Kyrenia since the 10th century BC but the harbour today was influenced mostly by the Venetians. When they gained control of Cyprus in 1489, the Venetians fortified the island against possible invasion by the Ottoman Empire.
At that time Kyrenia was the most important port on the northern Cyprus coastline, a little too close to the mainland for the Venetian’s comfort. So, they built impressive defences for the town, although when the Ottoman invasion did come in 1571, the Venetians gave up without a fight!
However, the first major castle at Kyrenia was constructed by the Romans and subsequently fortified by the Byzantines. The Byzantine structure of four towers linked by walls was later strengthened and enlarged by the Lusignans.
As soon as the Venetians acquired Cyprus, they were paranoid about losing it to the rapidly expanding Ottoman Empire. With the mainland only miles away and the Ottomans gaining strength every year, the Venetians set about fortifying Cyprus. Kyrenia Castle’s walls were greatly enlarged and made thicker to withstand possible artillery attacks and to resist any siege. The Venetians replaced the simple drawbridge entrance with an elaborate protected gatehouse as seen today and retained the Byzantine 12th century church of St George.
Today, the somewhat time-scarred Venetian castle of Kyrenia guards over the harbour like a benevolent grandfather, whilst the robust Tower marks the entrance to this little harbour of calm. The long, thin breakwater juts out into the sea like a long, crooked finger, beckoning in weary sailors past the Marine Martyr’s Monument situated opposite the harbour entrance. The Custom House still dominates the west corner of the harbour, commanding an excellent view of any boats entering Kyrenia harbour. Originally a chain gate was stretched across the old harbour entrance from here to the Tower, preventing enemy ships from forcing their way in.
The fortress and harbour are a popular tourist attraction, the harbour being one of the coolest places to be in Northern Cyprus in the height of summer and with good reason… sea breezes mix with cooler air from the nearby mountains, creating a great place to escape from the heat and dust of Nicosia. Needless to say, Kyrenia harbour is always busy in summer, its cafés packed with visitors and locals alike enjoying the unique atmosphere. You’ll need to get there early if you want to bag a waterside table for either lunch or a romantic evening dinner beside the water’s edge. Once you’ve found a table, you will understand another reason why the harbour at Kyrenia is so popular… it is simply stunning because of its elegant horseshoe shape, providing almost every café table with a great view over the water.
The restaurants and cafés themselves are as historic as their surroundings, being housed in old carob storage warehouses. At one time, carob beans were a major export for Cyprus, sold all over the world as a substitute for chocolate. Now the warehouses bustle with life again as waiters dash to and fro, bringing you a cold beer, some nibbles, a cake, a Turkish coffee, whatever you need to relax. Like most great café locations around the world, Kyrenia harbour is a place where you should sit, savour, and enjoy. The harbour restaurants are very popular in the evening and serve an extensive range of traditional Turkish and international cuisine.
Early morning in Kyrenia harbour, Cyprus
There has been a settlement at Kyrenia since the 10th century BC but the harbour today was influenced mostly by the Venetians. When they gained control of Cyprus in 1489, the Venetians fortified the island against possible invasion by the Ottoman Empire.
At that time Kyrenia was the most important port on the northern Cyprus coastline, a little too close to the mainland for the Venetian’s comfort. So, they built impressive defences for the town, although when the Ottoman invasion did come in 1571, the Venetians gave up without a fight!
However, the first major castle at Kyrenia was constructed by the Romans and subsequently fortified by the Byzantines. The Byzantine structure of four towers linked by walls was later strengthened and enlarged by the Lusignans.
As soon as the Venetians acquired Cyprus, they were paranoid about losing it to the rapidly expanding Ottoman Empire. With the mainland only miles away and the Ottomans gaining strength every year, the Venetians set about fortifying Cyprus. Kyrenia Castle’s walls were greatly enlarged and made thicker to withstand possible artillery attacks and to resist any siege. The Venetians replaced the simple drawbridge entrance with an elaborate protected gatehouse as seen today and retained the Byzantine 12th century church of St George.
Today, the somewhat time-scarred Venetian castle of Kyrenia guards over the harbour like a benevolent grandfather, whilst the robust Tower marks the entrance to this little harbour of calm. The long, thin breakwater juts out into the sea like a long, crooked finger, beckoning in weary sailors past the Marine Martyr’s Monument situated opposite the harbour entrance. The Custom House still dominates the west corner of the harbour, commanding an excellent view of any boats entering Kyrenia harbour. Originally a chain gate was stretched across the old harbour entrance from here to the Tower, preventing enemy ships from forcing their way in.
The fortress and harbour are a popular tourist attraction, the harbour being one of the coolest places to be in Northern Cyprus in the height of summer and with good reason… sea breezes mix with cooler air from the nearby mountains, creating a great place to escape from the heat and dust of Nicosia. Needless to say, Kyrenia harbour is always busy in summer, its cafés packed with visitors and locals alike enjoying the unique atmosphere. You’ll need to get there early if you want to bag a waterside table for either lunch or a romantic evening dinner beside the water’s edge. Once you’ve found a table, you will understand another reason why the harbour at Kyrenia is so popular… it is simply stunning because of its elegant horseshoe shape, providing almost every café table with a great view over the water.
The restaurants and cafés themselves are as historic as their surroundings, being housed in old carob storage warehouses. At one time, carob beans were a major export for Cyprus, sold all over the world as a substitute for chocolate. Now the warehouses bustle with life again as waiters dash to and fro, bringing you a cold beer, some nibbles, a cake, a Turkish coffee, whatever you need to relax. Like most great café locations around the world, Kyrenia harbour is a place where you should sit, savour, and enjoy. The harbour restaurants are very popular in the evening and serve an extensive range of traditional Turkish and international cuisine.