Located in the southern part of Larnaca, near the seafront, the local fort was once considered one of the main defences of the city. Now it is a historical monument of the Middle Ages and a real tourist attraction.
The first fortress in this area was built by the Lusignans at the end of the 14th century to protect the city harbour from sea raids. Later, when the Turks seized power in Cyprus, the fortress literally got a second life - in 1625 it was completely rebuilt. But over time it lost its defence function and was partially destroyed.
The fort was rebuilt in the second half of the 19th century, during the British rule on the island. It was during the British period that the fort became a police station and was also used as a prison. In addition, the most dangerous criminals were executed there - a gallows was installed in the courtyard especially for this purpose. This continued until the middle of the last century. The last execution on the territory of the fort took place in 1948. Almost immediately after that the police station was moved to another place.
Today the building houses a historical museum, where you can see a lot of unique items - from finds of ancient times to church utensils from the Middle Ages. The collection of various weapons is particularly interesting.
And from the roof of the fortress itself offers a marvellous view of the city and the sea.
In addition, nowadays in the courtyard of the city fort, which can accommodate about two hundred spectators, often arranged concerts, plays and other cultural events. These mainly take place in the summertime.
