According to tradition, the castle of St. Hilarion was founded by an Egyptian monk, one of the first Christian bishops. Long wandering around the Cypriot lands, the monk sought solitude for prayers and reclusive life. Finally, the heart led a traveler to the slopes of the Kyrenia range - an amazingly picturesque place. Here St. Ilyarion founded his monastery, and here he went to another world. But his name remained immortalized in the cobbled walls of the most original fortress of Northern Cyprus.
The castle was built several centuries, until, in the end, it turned into an impregnable fortress. In the dashing times of the Byzantine-Arab wars, he was turned into a fortification observation post. From the top of the castle tower, the neighborhood was visible to the very horizons. Throughout history, the enemy has never been able to capture the castle: the witty ideas of Byzantine military engineering were too painful.
The castle of St. Hilarion consisted of several autonomous levels. If, for example, the enemy broke through the defense of the first level, then immediately fell under the fire archers from the upper parts. In the lower tiers of the fortress behind the powerful walls were stables, barracks and outbuildings, and on the upper floors - residential apartments of the royal family. Water and food tanks were dug everywhere, so that the castle could withstand a siege lasting several years.
The top of the fortress is crowned by the so-called prince towers, one of which literally hangs over the bottomless mountain edge .Unfortunately, not all the rooms of the castle have survived to our times, but what survived was enough to "finish" in its own imagination the pristine appearance of the castle Sv .Illarion .In particular, beautiful Gothic arches, figured window apertures and even some decorative elements remained virtually intact .Also perfectly preserved and towers with a fortified wall, the outlines of which are viewed from the serpentine road at the entrance to the fortress .
With the advent of powerful siege weapons, the castle lost its military significance. Since then, he was consigned to oblivion and fell into decay. True, in the 60's. the last century, during the military conflict between Greece and Turkey, the castle again had to be shaken by the old times: Turkish militias were based in its walls. By the way, the Turkish military base is adjacent to the castle to this day.
In some rooms of the fortress, installations with mannequins simulating the life of the royal family and retinue have been created, and here and there information tables with a description of this or that detail of the fortress are placed. At the top of the castle is equipped with a secure viewing platform, which is highly recommended. And comments on the Cypriot landscapes, perhaps, can be omitted.
Practical information
The Castle of St. Hilarion is located 17 km south of Kyrenia. A good asphalt road leads to it, which branches off from the highway Girne-Lefkosa. The turning point is indicated by a pointer. On average, the road from Kyrenia to the final point takes about 20 minutes.
Opening hours: from March to November from 8:00 to 17:00, in December - February from 8:00 to 14:00.
| St. Hilarion's Castle |
| The preserved outlines of the rooms, St. Hilarion's Castle |
| Ruins of the Castle of St. Hilarion |
| Window of the Queen, Castle of St. Hilarion |
| Kitchen, St. Hilarion Castle |