Kantara (castle)
| Kantara | ||
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| Alternative name (s): | Le Candaire, Candare, Cantaras | |
| Creation time : | around 900 to 1000 | |
| Castle type : | Hilltop castle | |
| Conservation status: | ruin | |
| Place: | Kantara , Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus | |
| Geographical location | 35 ° 24 '24 " N , 33 ° 55' 22" E | |
| Height: | 700 m | |
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The castle Kantara , Greek Κάστρο της Καντάρας , Turkish Kantara kalesi , is a medieval castle ruin in the Pentadaktylos / Beşparmak Mountains in the northeast of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus near the mountain village of the same name in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus .
Surname
The name of the castle is borrowed from Arabic and means "tall building".
location
The hilltop castle is at about 700 meters. From Kantara one overlooks the north coast of the island as well as the plain of the Mesaoria ; the castle also controlled access to the Karpas peninsula .
history
The origins of the castle go back to the 10th century - as with the castles of St. Hilarion and Buffavento to the west in Beşparnak . The former observation post of the Byzantines against Arab invaders was expanded into a large castle complex in the 12th century.
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Kantara was mentioned in connection with the conquest of Cyprus in 1191 by the English King Richard the Lionheart , when Cyprus Emperor Isaac Komnenos sought protection here. Richard, who was on his way to the Holy Land on the Third Crusade to recapture Jerusalem , landed with his fleet in the port of Lemesos (Limassol) on May 6, 1191 , occupied the city and married Berengaria of Navarre on May 12, 1191 . When Isaac and his troops arrived in Limassol , he saw that they had been defeated by the Crusader army. Richard demanded Isaac's abdication, but the latter withdrew to Kantara to offer resistance from his fortresses in Pentadactylos. After a successful siege of Kantara, Isaak Komnenus surrendered.
In May 1192 Richard sold Cyprus to Guido von Lusignan , the fleeing king of Jerusalem , who thus became the first ruler of the Kingdom of Cyprus and whose descendants the island until the death of James III. ruled in 1474.
During the clashes between supporters of the Roman-German King Frederick II and the Cypriot King Henry I of Cyprus in the summer of 1229, Gauvain de Chenichy holed up in Kantara, but was forced to give up by Heinrich. The reconquest by the loyal followers of Frederick II in 1232 did not last.
Notwithstanding the conquests by the Genoese in 1373, Kantara remained in the hands of the faithful of the House of Lusignan under King Peter II. The current remains of the castle complex probably go back to the reconstruction carried out in 1391.
Although the Venetians recognized the castle's strategic importance, it was in ruins as early as 1562.
Castle complex
Passing two rectangular towers, one enters the castle from the east and arrives at the Zwinger, which is protected by two other mighty towers . A portal in the wall that connects these towers leads to the upper castle. From the legendary Queen's room, in the south wall of which a window has been preserved, one has a view over the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Karpas peninsula. There was probably a line of sight to the neighboring Buffavento castle from here.
See also
literature
Web links
- "The Kantara Castle" (English)
- "Kantara Castle" on an engraving by an unknown Dutch engraver from the 18th century
- "Floor plan of the Kantara Castle"
- "Crusader castle Le Candaire"
- The Kantara Castle