A beautiful combination of charming nature, ancient architecture, and fascinating museums – this is all about Kyrenia Castle, one of the most famous monuments in northern Cyprus.

Many centuries ago there were buildings of ancient Rome on this site. In general, the fortress changed hands a few times: it left a mark on its architectural look. The Byzantines ruled here, the Venetians were building and rebuilding the castle for a long time, and in the 16th century, the Venetians surrendered the fortress to the Ottoman Empire. There was a residence of the Emperor of Cyprus, then the complex was owned by the British. And only in the 20th century, Kyrenia Castle became the property of Cyprus and one of its major attractions.

Kyrenia Castle – it is not just a castle or fort, it is a whole small town, where it is pleasant to walk through the old streets, visit the 12th-century chapel, relax in the picturesque courtyard, climb the high fortress walls to look at the city and the sea.

And after that, it's worth going through the museum complex, which is extremely unusual.

First, Kyrenia Castle houses the Museum of Torture. There is a very peculiar collection of exhibits. Moreover, the mannequins are quite realistic about how hundreds of knights were bullied here. And it's no coincidence that there is the museum: for centuries, it was one of the strictest prisons in the world.

Second, you can check out the Shipwreck Museum. It's not as scary, but it's no less attractive. It contains a unique find: the remains of a ship that sank off the coast of Cyprus in the 4th century BC. Surprisingly, the sea has preserved not only the ship itself but also the cargo it carried: amphorae of wine and oil, nuts.

And finally, a small but interesting museum of ancient dwellings with reconstructions of houses from the Neolithic period.