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Castle · Ancient Monument

Castle of Cantara

Kantara, Famagusta District · In the area occupied by Turkey since 1974

Castle of Cantara: a castle in Kantara, Famagusta District, in the area occupied by Turkey since 1974. Declared an Ancient Monument in 1905. 3 dated records of work on it, 1956 to 1963, with sources.

Famagusta District, about 35°23′ N, 33°54′ E

  • Other recorded site
  • Contours every 100 m
The pin marks the village of Kantara, not the building. Approximate location. Open in the map →

Protection

Antiquities Law
  1. 1 December 1905

    Declared an Ancient Monument, No. 7853

    “Castle of Cantara”

    The Cyprus Gazette No. 8391 of 1 December 1905 (Notice No. 7853), p. 5755, PDF p. 283 Online

  2. 10 May 1935

    Scheduled in 1935, First Schedule, Famagusta item 2

    “The Castle of Kantara”

    Supplement No. 1 to The Cyprus Gazette No. 2441 of 10 May 1935, A Bill entitled A Law to consolidate and amend the Law relating to Antiquities [the Antiquities Law, 1935], First Schedule, District of Famagusta, item 2, p. 325, PDF p. 345 Online

What was done when

4 records
  1. 1956

    A medieval cistern was restored to use, to help future repairs, and connected to catchments within the castle; the terrace roof of the south-east range was repaired.

    Repair and conservation

    As printed

    “At Kantara Castle a medieval cistern was restored to use”

    Colonial Office, Cyprus: Report for the Year 1956 (London: HMSO, 1957), p. 89

  2. 1957

    The tank outside the entrance was repaired and covered, and the terrace roof of the west range was made good.

    Repair and conservation

    As printed

    “At Kantara Castle the tank outside the entrance was repaired and covered”

    Colonial Office, Cyprus: Report for the Year 1957 (London: HMSO, 1958), p. 87

  3. 1963

    Built on Kyrenia range; Byzantine origin, improved by Franks; mined state; restoration work by Archaeological Department 1963-1964.

    Repair and conservation

    As printed

    “Some restoration work was done by the Archaeological Department in 1963-1964.”

    Nasa Christophidou, "The Medieval Castles of Occupied Cyprus", Cyprus Today vol. 31, no. 1 (January–March 1993), pp. 1–24, PDF p. 7.

  4. Undated

    South-east wing chambers and north-west tower repaired; walls of ruined chambers repaired.

    Repair and conservation

    As printed

    “At Kantara Castle (Fig. 9) the chambers of the south-east wing”

    A. PAPAGEORGHIOU, "Activities of the Department of Antiquities in the Field of the Conservation and Restoration of Ancient Monuments 1960-73", Cyprus Today vol. 11, no. 5-6 (September–December 1973), pp. 11–20, p. 16.

In the literature

3
  1. 1942

    Frankish castle on the northern range visited by Stark during her 1942 stay.

    As printed

    “to Kantara, a Frankish castle on the northern range.”

    Anon., "In the Footsteps of Freya Stark", Cyprus Today vol. 36, no. 1-2 (January–June 1998), pp. 56–62, p. 59.

  2. Undated

    Built by Byzantines in 11th century and extended by Franks in 14th century.

    As printed

    “Kantara Castle: built by the Byzantines in the 11th century A.D. and”

    D. CHRISTOU, "Cypriote Antiquities in Turkish Occupied Areas", Cyprus Today vol. 12, no. 3-4 (May–August 1974), pp. 46–51, p. 50.

  3. Undated

    Lusignan mountain castle of Kantara in the far north, named in the text.

    As printed

    “in the far north the Lusignan mountain castle of Kantara and out along the remote”

    George Chr. Michaelides, "Famagusta", Cyprus Today vol. 20, no. 2 (May–August 1982), pp. 32–35, p. 33.

Pictures

16

In our archive · 11

Costas and Rita Severis Foundation4 paintings1878–1974
  • painting, 1878
  • painting, 1878--10--12
  • painting, 1936
  • painting, 1974
Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Athen1 photograph1890
  • Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Athens, Fotothek (D-DAI-ATH-Cypern), negative Cypern-0038, «Ansicht des Hofes, Steinsäulen mit Holzkapitellen, Personen, darunter Dörpfeld - Burg Kantara, 14.Jh. - Kantara bei Trikomo, Ardhana - Topographie», 02/1890, Arachne record 445530, 1890-02 Online

Sources

  1. 1.The Cyprus Gazette No. 8391 of 1 December 1905 (Notice No. 7853), p. 5755, PDF p. 283 Online
  2. 2.Supplement No. 1 to The Cyprus Gazette No. 2441 of 10 May 1935, A Bill entitled A Law to consolidate and amend the Law relating to Antiquities [the Antiquities Law, 1935], First Schedule, District of Famagusta, item 2, p. 325, PDF p. 345 Online
  3. 3.Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Athens, Fotothek (D-DAI-ATH-Cypern), negative Cypern-0038, «Ansicht des Hofes, Steinsäulen mit Holzkapitellen, Personen, darunter Dörpfeld - Burg Kantara, 14.Jh. - Kantara bei Trikomo, Ardhana - Topographie», 02/1890, Arachne record 445530 Online
  4. 4.Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Athens, Fotothek (D-DAI-ATH-Cypern), negative Cypern-0038, «Ansicht des Hofes, Steinsäulen mit Holzkapitellen, Personen, darunter Dörpfeld - Burg Kantara, 14.Jh. - Kantara bei Trikomo, Ardhana - Topographie», 02/1890, Arachne record 445531 Online
  5. 5.Centre of Visual Arts and Research (CVAR), Costas and Rita Severis Foundation, Nicosia, online catalogue: pht_00775, “Kantara castle”, ca. 1918, ; pht_00776, “Kantara castle”, ca. 1918, https://cvar.severis.org/en/collections/item/kantara-castle-2/28032/; pht_01107, “Kantara Castle, Kyrenia”, ca. 1930, https://cvar.severis.org/en/collections/item/kantara-castle-kyrenia/7707/; and 23 more records Online
  6. 6.Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (ΡΙΚ), film and video archive, Digital Herodotus item 4002: «ΜΝΗΜΕΙΑ ΣΤΗΝ ΚΑΤΕΧΟΜΕΝΗ ΚΥΠΡΟ - ΕΝΑ ΟΔΟΙΠΟΡΙΚΟ ΤΟΥ ΑΝΤΡΟΥ ΠΑΥΛΙΔΗ - 002», 13 April 2009, 00:46:43 Online
  7. 7.Colonial Office, Cyprus: Report for the Year 1956 (London: HMSO, 1957), p. 89
  8. 8.Colonial Office, Cyprus: Report for the Year 1957 (London: HMSO, 1958), p. 87
  9. 9.A. PAPAGEORGHIOU, "Activities of the Department of Antiquities in the Field of the Conservation and Restoration of Ancient Monuments 1960-73", Cyprus Today vol. 11, no. 5-6 (September–December 1973), pp. 11–20, p. 16.
  10. 10.D. CHRISTOU, "Cypriote Antiquities in Turkish Occupied Areas", Cyprus Today vol. 12, no. 3-4 (May–August 1974), pp. 46–51, p. 50.
  11. 11.Anon., "In the Footsteps of Freya Stark", Cyprus Today vol. 36, no. 1-2 (January–June 1998), pp. 56–62, p. 59.
  12. 12.George Chr. Michaelides, "Famagusta", Cyprus Today vol. 20, no. 2 (May–August 1982), pp. 32–35, p. 33.
  13. 13.Nasa Christophidou, "The Medieval Castles of Occupied Cyprus", Cyprus Today vol. 31, no. 1 (January–March 1993), pp. 1–24, PDF p. 7.

Corrections and additions

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