At the entrance to the harbour is the Byzantine Kyrenia castle which has been influenced by the Lusignans and then the Venetians amongst others. Originally built as a roman fort, the impressive castle is stacked full of history and is now home to an informative museum which houses the oldest shipwreck in the world dating back to the 16th century. [1]



The history of Kyrenia harbour dates back to the 10th century BC but its shape as we know it today only came about during Venetian times. It was in 1489 that the Venetians changed the island and the harbour to protect it against invasion. In 1489 Kyrenia was a very important port and it was therefore necessary to protect it.

Kyrenia castle guards the harbor and its towers mark the entrance to the harbour. There is also a Marine Marty’s Monument on the opposite side of the harbor entrance which helps to guide sailors. The custom house is located in the west corner of the harbour and in ancient times a chain gate was stretched across the entrance to prevent enemy ships from entering the harbour.