Relief of the Lion of St Mark on the walls of the castleGround plan 1918
Othello Castle was built in the 14th century by the Lusignans (who ruled the Kingdom of Cyprus) to protect the port against possible enemy attacks. It was also used as the main entrance to Famagusta. It used to be called "impenetrable fortress" due to it being nearly impossible to attack because of very deep ditches surrounding it.
After Cyprus was sold to the Republic of Venice, the castle's square towers were replaced with circular ones to suit more modern artillery. After these modifications, a relief of the Lion of St Mark was engraved above the castle's main entrance. The name of Captain Nicolo Foscari, who directed the alterations to the castle, and the date 1492 are inscribed near the relief.
Apparently Leonardo da Vinci advised the refurbishment in 1481.[1]
The castle gets its name from Shakespeare's famous play Othello, which is set in a harbour town in Cyprus.[3]
In 1900, the castle's ditch was drained of water to reduce the risk of malaria.[4]
The castle began to be restored in 2014,[5] and it reopened to the public on 3 July 2015.[6]
Layout
The castle contains four circular towers. It contains a refectory and a dormitory, which were constructed during the Lusignan period. The castle's yard contains cannonballs left behind by the Spaniards and Ottomans, relics of its turbulent history.[3]
^ abJessica Lee (February 2015). "Famagusta & the Karpas Peninsula". Cyprus (6th ed.). Singapore: Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. p. 183. ISBN978-1-74220-756-8. The tower's name stems from a vague link [...] which has a modest stage note referring to 'a seaport in Cyprus'. The note is in Othello, act 2, scene 1.
