Kolossi (castle, Cyprus): description, history, interesting facts and reviews

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2018-03-25 10:08:11

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If you are in Sunny Cyprus and enjoy the local wine “Commandaria”, you ought to think: and not to make the journey to the homeland of this drink? Well, if you podslushivaet tea or coffee great brown cane sugar, the reasons to visit the castle of Kolossi increase doubly. What is common in the severe medieval castle with wine? We can assume that the soldiers of the garrison once they have comforted myself in the line of hard service. But what do a castle with cane sugar? All the secrets we will reveal to you if you come with us on a fascinating virtual tour in Kolossi. This castle deserves a visit. He is one of the most popular tourist attractions of the island of Cyprus.Kolossi castle

Where is located and how to get there

This Is the medieval citadel on the South coast. To get to Kolossi, you will first need to come to Limassol. This resort is located ten kilometers to the East of the medieval fortress. Here go the tour buses from many towns of Cyprus. But if you are staying in Limassol, it is best that you take a self-guided journey to the castle. City bus number 17 takes you directly to the foot of the fortress in just one and a half euros. For car owners will be pleased to know that the walls of the citadel is free Parking. Kolossi-castle-Museum. Entrance adult will have to pay two Euro and a half. The Museum works without days off. However, visiting hours vary depending on season. The Museum always at eight in the morning. And locked their doors to the citadel from November to March five days in the offseason – at six in the evening, and during the summer months – at half-past seven.Kolossi Castle

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History of Kolossi castle

The Fortress was erected by the king of Cyprus, Hugh de Lusignan the First. It happened at the beginning of the thirteenth century. But in less than a century, as the citadel captured the powerful of Jerusalem the order of St John founded his Commandaria. The monks-knights, called “hospital”, famous for not only those that are redeemed from the Saracens captured Christians. The inherent order of the entrepreneurial streak was evident in Cyprus. At that time sugar was extracted only from cane. But because he valued its weight in gold. The Hospitallers brought the cane from Africa and planted them the banks of the local river kuris. In addition, they engaged in winemaking. Under the hot Cyprus sun berries podvyalivayut to the state of the raisins and only then transported to the processing facilities. Thus was born the famous wine “Commandaria”. In the fourteenth century Kolossi castle belonged to the less warlike order of the knights Templar. But when these monks have fallen out of favor, came back into the possession of the Hospitallers.Kolossi Castle description

Kolossi Castle: description

First of all, it is worth noting that this medieval citadel does not fit perfectly into the southern peaceful scenery of Cyprus. There is in this castle hamlet. It seems as if the wizard had endured the grim tower of the Kingdom of Denmark on the sun-drenched shore. But the castle was not built for beauty, and most importantly for architects was not the countryside, and the defenses of the fortress. The citadel in the form in which we know it today, was built in 1454 by the commander with a bit strange name-Louis de Maniac (de Magnac). He did not spare funds to reconstruct the castle according to the latest fortification of the era. The center of the citadel was dvadtsatikilometrovaya donjon tower. In plan it is a square. The dungeon has three floors, the entrance to this building was on the second level. The citadel was fortified with defensive walls, the remains of which can still be seen.Kolossi Castle Cyprus

Surrounding area of Kolossi castle

Do Not hurry to go inside the dungeon. First, take a walk around the neighborhood of the citadel. Kolossi medieval castle was named after the nearest village. Worth visiting it and admire the Church of St. Eustache. It was built in the twelfth century and reconstructed in the fifteenth. Inside the three-nave space are preserved frescoes of the XV century. Once all the land around the castle belonged to the Hospitallers. In the vast agricultural lands of the monks, the knights grew grapes and sugar cane. Even now the walls of the castle you can see the ruins of the plant and the remains of the aqueduct. At this point, the cane was processed into sugar. In the mid-fifteenth century sparked a property dispute between the Hospitallers and the Venetian Republic, which owned the rights to the river kuris. The court decision was made in favour of the monks. Devoid of watering the plantations of cane withered. Now in their place grow citrus trees. And the wine "of Commandaria” is still.Kolossi Castle tours of the exhibition

Kolossi Castle: tours of the exhibition

To get pleasure from visiting the citadel, you should know the basics of the fortification art of the middle Ages. Or to join the tour. The guide will draw your attention on the things that you yourself may not notice. For example, on a narrow spiral staircase. It twists counterclockwise. This was done with the expectation that the defender of the castle, climbing up, standing onthe wide part of the tread and had a free space to work with the right hand, while the intruder stood on a narrow strip and his movements with the sword were constrained by a wall. Also, the guide will draw attention to the heraldic emblems of the commanders of the castle – Lusignan, Gina de Eraser, Jack de Milly, Louis de Maniac.

Independent walk in the dungeon

What should be sure to see if we visited the Kolossi castle without a guide? Once in the dungeon was accessible only via a drawbridge that leads directly to the second floor of the tower. Now linkage is destroyed, the iron chain no. The bridge during the reconstruction of the castle into a Museum and remained lying on the ground. But because getting the path from the cellars of the citadel. There were the warehouses, the Arsenal and wells. The latter was hewn in the rock to a depth of over ten meters. On the second level was the kitchen with a huge fireplace and a refectory. In this room are preserved a beautiful mural depicting the Calvary. On the third floor was occupied by the commander of the order. And the roof still has a guard area with a ledge above the entrance to the castle. From this balcony with the cracks in the floor on besieging the fortress was pouring hot tar and hot olive oil.the Medieval castle of Kolossi

Wine "Commandaria”

Kolossi Castle is home to the most famous alcoholic brand of Cyprus. Even now, the bottle “Commandaria” is the best souvenir of the island. I should say that for wine, the Hospitallers used the existing local varieties of berries – white "Xynisteri" and red «moor». But not in the blend is the secret to the success of the wine and the recipe. Torn overripe bunches were left for ten days to valitsa in the sun. Then another five they rested in the shade. Then the berries went under the press. Wort eight days of wandering in vats. A drink and then get blocked in the treated smoke barrels. As a result of this process, the wine gained natural sweetness. But “Commandaria” - not cloying liqueur. The fortress of the drink – 15 degrees. Its highlight is “smoky" flavor.

Reviews

Kolossi Castle (Cyprus) is one of the key attractions of the island. Therefore, all travelers are advised to visit it. If you – an ignoramus in the history of the middle Ages and fortification construction, it is best to come to Kolossi tour. The castle and the donjon can not make the proper impression on people and not enlightened. There you will not see furniture in the Empire style, mummies and other “miracles” who loves the mass public.


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Alin Trodden - author of the article, editor
"Hi, I'm Alin Trodden. I write texts, read books, and look for impressions. And I'm not bad at telling you about it. I am always happy to participate in interesting projects."

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