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Castle · Ancient Monument

Area of the castle

Limassol · Medieval

Area of the castle: a castle in Limassol. Scheduled under the Antiquities Law of 1935 in 1935. 6 dated records of work on it, 1539 to 1996, with sources.

AmathusErimi

Limassol District, about 34°41′ N, 33°02′ E

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The pin marks the village of Limassol, not the building. Approximate location. Open in the map →

Protection

Antiquities Law
  1. 10 May 1935

    Scheduled in 1935, First Schedule, Limassol item 1

    “The Castle of Limassol”

    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 Limassol, item 1, p. 325, PDF p. 345 Online

  2. 2 December 1939

    Protection, No. 382

    “the Castle of Limassol”

    Supplement No. 3 to The Cyprus Gazette No. 2799 of 6 December 1939, No. 382, The Antiquities Law, 1935: Notice under section 11 (made 2 December 1939), pp. 659–660 Online

What was done when

6 records
  1. 1539

    Castle of Limassol attacked and set on fire by Ottomans in 1539; described as ruined and partly in ruins under Venetian rule; repairs likely before 1539.

    Repair and conservation

    As printed

    “the Ottomans during the Venetian-Turkish War of 1537-1540 and suffered a great deal of damage”

    Nasa Patapiou, "Limassol During Venetian Rule", Cyprus Today vol. 47, no. 4 (October–December 2009), pp. 21–29, p. 22.

  2. 1571

    Restored after the Ottoman conquest for defence; used as a prison under British rule until 1940, later restored as District Office.

    Repair and conservation

    As printed

    “so the Limassol castle was restored for defence purposes”

    Anon., "A Stroll Through Place and Time", Cyprus Today vol. 47, no. 4 (October–December 2009), pp. 3–19, p. 15.

  3. 1951

    Repairs by the Department of Antiquities were in hand.

    Repair and conservation

    As printed

    “included the Castles of St. Hilarion, Buffavento, Limassol and Kolossi”

    Colonial Office, Report on Cyprus for the Year 1951 (London: HMSO, 1952), p. 57

  4. 1991

    Castle repaired or restored in 1991.

    Repair and conservation

    Dimos Christou, «Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1991», Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 116 (1992), pp. 793-831, p. 831

  5. 1994

    Consolidation and restoration works.

    Repair and conservation

    Dimos Christou, «Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1994», Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 119 (1995), pp. 799-838, p. 838

  6. 1996

    Medieval kastro repaired in 1996.

    Repair and conservation

    Dimos Christou, «Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1996», Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 121 (1997), pp. 891-933, p. 932

In the literature

3
  1. 1977

    Reopened to the public.

    As printed

    “The Limassol Castle has also been reopened”

    Anon., "Commonwealth Prize for Dr. Karageorghis", Cyprus Today vol. 16, no. 3-4 (May–August 1978), pp. 20–21, p. 21.

  2. 2010

    Hosted for the first time a visual arts exhibition, contrasting late Byzantine and Frankish rule with contemporary art.

    As printed

    “The Medieval Castle is hosting for the first time a visual arts exhibition”

    Anon., "50th Anniversary of the Republic of Cyprus", Cyprus Today vol. 48, no. 2 (April–June 2010), pp. 5–21, p. 9.

  3. Undated

    Houses the Limassol Museum collection; temporarily closed at time of writing.

    As printed

    “A collection of antiquities housed in the Mediaeval Castle of Limassol illustrates”

    K. NICOLAOU, "The Archaeological Museums of Cyprus", Cyprus Today vol. 7, no. 1 (January–March 1969), pp. 28–35, p. 34.

Pictures

6

In our archive · 1

Costas and Rita Severis Foundation3 paintings1931–1985
  • Centre of Visual Arts and Research (CVAR), Costas and Rita Severis Foundation, Nicosia, online catalogue: PNT-00735, “Limassol Castle”, 1931, ; PNT-00894, “Limassol Castle”, 1985-1988, https://cvar.severis.org/en/collections/item/limassol-castle/8434/; PNT-00954, “Limassol from the castle”, 1985-1988, https://cvar.severis.org/en/collections/item/limassol-from-the-castle/41690/ Online
  • Centre of Visual Arts and Research (CVAR), Costas and Rita Severis Foundation, Nicosia, online catalogue: PNT-00735, “Limassol Castle”, 1931, ; PNT-00894, “Limassol Castle”, 1985-1988, https://cvar.severis.org/en/collections/item/limassol-castle/8434/; PNT-00954, “Limassol from the castle”, 1985-1988, https://cvar.severis.org/en/collections/item/limassol-from-the-castle/41690/ Online
  • Centre of Visual Arts and Research (CVAR), Costas and Rita Severis Foundation, Nicosia, online catalogue: PNT-00735, “Limassol Castle”, 1931, ; PNT-00894, “Limassol Castle”, 1985-1988, https://cvar.severis.org/en/collections/item/limassol-castle/8434/; PNT-00954, “Limassol from the castle”, 1985-1988, https://cvar.severis.org/en/collections/item/limassol-from-the-castle/41690/ Online
Cyprus University of Technology2 photographs1964
  • photograph, 1964
  • Cyprus University of Technology, Apsida (Cyprus University of Technology), creator Unknown: «Limassol Castle», via Europeana Online

Sources

  1. 1.Department of Antiquities, Cyprus, «Ελεγχόμενες περιοχές από το Τμήμα Αρχαιοτήτων» (Controlled areas by the Department of Antiquities), open dataset, first issued 8 February 2018, modified 16 January 2024, CC BY 4.0, row no. 21 Online
  2. 2.Department of Antiquities, Cyprus, «Επισκέψιμα Αρχαία Μνημεία της Κύπρου» (Visitable Ancient Monuments of Cyprus), open dataset, first issued 8 February 2018, modified 16 January 2024, CC BY 4.0, row no. 24 Online
  3. 3.Cyprus University of Technology, Apsida (Cyprus University of Technology), creator Unknown: «Limassol Castle», via Europeana Online
  4. 4.Cyprus University of Technology, Apsida (Cyprus University of Technology), creator Digital Heritage Research Lab: «History of Limassol castle», via Europeana Online
  5. 5.Cyprus University of Technology, Apsida (Cyprus University of Technology), creator Digital Heritage Research Lab: «Images of Limassol castle's point cloud», via Europeana Online
  6. 6.Cyprus University of Technology, Apsida (Cyprus University of Technology), creator Digital Heritage Research Lab: «Flythrough video presenting Limassol castle's point cloud», via Europeana Online
  7. 7.Cyprus University of Technology, Apsida (Cyprus University of Technology), creator Digital Heritage Research Lab: «Orthophoto views of Limassol castle», via Europeana Online
  8. 8.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 Limassol, item 1, p. 325, PDF p. 345 Online
  9. 9.Supplement No. 3 to The Cyprus Gazette No. 2799 of 6 December 1939, No. 382, The Antiquities Law, 1935: Notice under section 11 (made 2 December 1939), pp. 659–660 Online
  10. 10.Centre of Visual Arts and Research (CVAR), Costas and Rita Severis Foundation, Nicosia, online catalogue: PNT-00735, “Limassol Castle”, 1931, ; PNT-00894, “Limassol Castle”, 1985-1988, https://cvar.severis.org/en/collections/item/limassol-castle/8434/; PNT-00954, “Limassol from the castle”, 1985-1988, https://cvar.severis.org/en/collections/item/limassol-from-the-castle/41690/ Online
  11. 11.Centre of Visual Arts and Research (CVAR), Costas and Rita Severis Foundation, Nicosia, online catalogue: pht_01528, “The Castle, Limassol”, 20th Century Online
  12. 12.Dimos Christou, «Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1991», Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 116 (1992), pp. 793-831, p. 831
  13. 13.Dimos Christou, «Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1994», Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 119 (1995), pp. 799-838, p. 838
  14. 14.Dimos Christou, «Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1996», Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 121 (1997), pp. 891-933, p. 932
  15. 15.Colonial Office, Report on Cyprus for the Year 1951 (London: HMSO, 1952), p. 57
  16. 16.K. NICOLAOU, "The Archaeological Museums of Cyprus", Cyprus Today vol. 7, no. 1 (January–March 1969), pp. 28–35, p. 34.
  17. 17.Anon., "Commonwealth Prize for Dr. Karageorghis", Cyprus Today vol. 16, no. 3-4 (May–August 1978), pp. 20–21, p. 21.
  18. 18.Anon., "A Stroll Through Place and Time", Cyprus Today vol. 47, no. 4 (October–December 2009), pp. 3–19, p. 15.
  19. 19.Nasa Patapiou, "Limassol During Venetian Rule", Cyprus Today vol. 47, no. 4 (October–December 2009), pp. 21–29, p. 22.
  20. 20.Anon., "50th Anniversary of the Republic of Cyprus", Cyprus Today vol. 48, no. 2 (April–June 2010), pp. 5–21, p. 9.

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