Architecture · Cyprus · 2 min read, approximately
The Paphos castle: built by the Franks, blown up by the Venetians
According to the Department of Antiquities, Cyprus, the Franks built the Paphos castle in the mid-13th century to replace Saranta Kolones, ruined in the 1222 earthquake; shortly before the Ottoman conquest, given as 1570, the Venetians blew up the remains of its two towers.
The explanations distinguish finds, interpretations and open questions. Sources appear at the end of the page.
What the source says
According to the Department of Antiquities, Cyprus page on the Paphos castle, the Franks built the castle in the mid-13th century, in place of the Saranta Kolones fortress, which was destroyed in the earthquake of 1222. Shortly before the Ottoman conquest the Venetians blew up the remains of the two towers; in this connection the page gives the year 1570. Source 1.
Two phases, two periods
The mid-13th century lies within the Frankish period of the Department of Antiquities table, 1191-1489, and the blowing up of the towers, shortly before the Ottoman conquest, lies within the Venetian period, 1489-1571. The article is therefore placed in both periods: each has a dated phase of its own in it. The earthquake of 1222, which destroyed the earlier fortress, also falls in the Frankish period. Sources 2, 1.
1570 or 1571
The page on the castle gives 1570, whereas the Department of Antiquities table ends the Venetian period in 1571, and the Department's page on the Limassol castle mentions "1576". None of the sources used here explains the differences. This page does not decide between them, and does not take the 1570 of this page as a date for the end of Venetian rule over the whole island. Sources 1, 2, 3.
What cannot be said
The question of how a fort changed between regimes gets a partial answer here: a Frankish construction in place of a destroyed fortress, and a deliberate demolition by the Venetians. The sources used here do not say who built Saranta Kolones or when, what remained of the castle after the explosion, or what the Ottomans did with it. The present state of the building is not described in the sources used here, so this page does not describe it. The UNESCO page on Paphos lists "fortresses" among the remains of the site but does not name the castle. Sources 1, 4.
Scope of reading: the UNESCO page on Paphos was read on 24 October 2026. The Department of Antiquities pages cited here could not be opened for checking on 24 October 2026; the details from them follow notes taken from those pages at an earlier stage and were not re-checked. Research publications on the castle were not read.
Source
Sources and further reading
The research and references behind this page. Rights to external content remain with their owners.
- 1
Paphos castle (Department of Antiquities, Cyprus, monument page)
Department of Antiquities, Cyprus · Not opened for checking
- 2
Chronological table of the history of Cyprus (Department of Antiquities, Cyprus)
Department of Antiquities, Cyprus · Not opened for checking
- 3
Limassol castle (Department of Antiquities, Cyprus, monument page)
Department of Antiquities, Cyprus · Not opened for checking
- 4
Paphos - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
UNESCO World Heritage Centre · Checked