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Medieval Castle of Pafos
It has been declared a listed building and is the symbol of the city of Pafos
Medieval Castle of Pafos, was originally a Byzantine fort built to protect the harbour. It was rebuilt by the Frankish rulers in the 13th century, which was destroyed after the earthquake of 1222 A.D Just before the Ottoman conquest of 1570, the Venetians, who controlled Cyprus at that time, destroyed what was left of the two towers with the use of explosives, so that the towers wouldn’t be used by the Ottomans and the Ottomans rebuild it after they captured the island in the 16th century. Originally, this role was served by the Saranta Kolones fort, the ruins of which lie a few hundred meters to the north.
During its long history, the Pafos Castle was used, as well as for protection, as prison cells, and even as a storage area for salt when the island was a British colony. In 1935 it was declared an ancient monument and today is considered as one of the hallmarks of the Pafos region. Many cultural events take place in the square just in front of the castle, while during September each year the Pafos Aphrodite Festival which presents a different opera every year staged here by world famous artists with the castle building usually acting as part of the scenery.
Open daily:
Winter hours (16th September – 15th April): 8.30 - 17.00
Summer hours (16th April – 15th September): 8.30 - 19.30
Entrance: € 2.50
Accessibility: Non wheelchair accesible