Kyrenia (Girne)
Kyrenia and the surrounding area has long been considered the most beautiful landscape on Cyprus. The imposing Kyrenium Mountain range dominates the landscape and tempers the climate; in the heat of summer it is often 5 degrees cooler than the central part of the island, due to the almost constant breeze coming off the Taurus mountains in mainland Turkey.
The habitation of Kyrenia stretches from Catakoy in the east through to Karsiyaka in the west; a distance of approximately 16 miles which consists of beautiful villages set in the foothills of the Kyrenium mountain range, alongside ancient churches and mosques, monuments and picture postcard buildings such as Bellapais Abbey and St Hilarion Castle.
The main town of Kyrenia with its Byzantine castle and ancient harbour offers a charm seldom experienced in today’s modern European cities. Walking through the maze of narrow streets and alleys you with find that Turkish Cypriot warmth and hospitality awaits you in its many coffee shops, bars and restaurants.
A brief history of Kyrenia
Kyrenia was founded by Archaeans in the 10th Century BC and has since been host to a myriad of civilisations and rulers: Egyptians, Hittites, Phoenicians, Persians, Alexander the Great, Romans, Byzantines, Richard the Lion Heart, Lusignans, Genovese, Venetians, Ottomans and the British, all of whom have left their mark on Kyrenia.
Places to visit in Kyrenia
- The Old Harbour – Whether you want to sample traditional Turkish Cypriot cooking or relax with a coffee or local Raki, the Old Harbour at night, with the castle backdrop and traditional fishing boats, will let your mind drift back in time to the days of the Crusaders or the Ottoman Empire.
Kyrenia Castle – with its immense ramparts dominating the ancient harbour, Kyrenium Castle dates back to the 7th Century when it was built to protect the city from Arab pirates.
Shipwreck Museum – This extraordinary museum displays the wreck of a ship built in 389BC which was discovered 1.5km off the coast of Kyrenia. It was rescued from the sea bed by experts from Pennsylvania University, USA. The museum is in the grounds of Kyrenia Castle.
- Bellapais Abbey – The monastery is in the village of Bellapais, a few miles to the south-east of Kyrenia. The monastery takes its name the French ‘Abbey de la Paix’ – the Abbey of Peace and was built by monks in the 13th Century.
- St. Hilarion Castle – Famous as the inspiration for the Walt Disney film Fantasia, St Hilarion is named after the hermit Hilarion who lived and died at the top of the mountain at the time of the fall of Jerusalem to the Arabs. This spectacular castle was built into the solid limestone rock in the 10th century as a lookout post for marauding pirates. Nowadays, it offers visitors stunning views over Kyrenia and along the coast to the Karpaz peninsula.
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