LEGEND: A : Position of bridge and drawbridge B : Vaulted chambers (presumably the refectory or the dining hall). C : "To mole": forbidden for visitors (2003, barbed wire, police or military post).

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Much of the history of the city of Famagusta is obscure as there are no written records and the only source of material is from travellers' accounts of merchants passing through. (Some historians declare that it was founded by King Ptolemy Philadelphus of Egypt in 285 B.C.). By the year 1300 A.D. the town was one of the principal markets of the Eastern Mediterranean, the rendez-vous of rich merchants and the headquarters of many Christian religious orders as revealed by numerous churches of various denominations still to be seen in the town today. This was the time of the Crusades and when the rich Lusignan family ruled Cyprus, and hence the period 1200 to 1489 in Cyprus history is called the Lusignan dynasty. Famagusta was protected by ramparts which encircle the town and the citadel castle guarding the harbour, the best in Cyprus. This citadel or Othello's tower is the first main focus of attention for visitors.

The period 1300 to 1400 is known as the golden age of Famagusta and was regarded as such by visiting merchants, who brought back tales of fabulous wealth in the various places. After 1400, rival factions of Genoese and Venetian merchants settled there. The Genoese caused much strife until finally the Venetians took command of all Cyprus and transferred the capital from Nicosia to Famagusta in 1489. The Venetians were in command for 82 years and it was from Famagusta that the whole island was governed.

The invention of gun-powder and the use of cannon made it necessary for the Venetians to remodel the entire defences for the use of artillery, the new type of warfare. The medieval square towers were replaced with round ones and all along the walls and citadel numerous cannon portholes were inserted.

The Turkish armada arrived outside the town in 1570 and put it under siege for a year. In 1571 not only Famagusta, but all Cyprus was under Turkish rule.

OTHELLO'S TOWER OR THE CITADEL

Othello's tower is the medieval fortress or citadel guarding both harbour and town. This is referred to in one of Shakespeare's plays in which Othello is described as a Moor. This is not so; it is the name of a Venetian governor of 1506. However, Shakespeare knew little about Cyprus and had never been there. The entrance to the Tower is shown in in the groundplan at the top of this page and is pierced through the Venetian fortifications which date from between 1500 and 1550.

An aerial view would show the shell of the medieval castle inside the Venetian Walls. As a result of the inventions of gunpowder and cannon, the Venetians altered the castles in order to suit the needs of their artillery. Usually they did not destroy the old walls, they were far too thick, but the old square towers were replaced with round ones. It should be obvious that a rectangular tower could easily have its corners knocked off by gunfire. Wherever the old walls were preserved, they were pierced by gunports.

Inside the Walls there is the Great Hall, and with the large kitchen at one end, it is presumed that this was the refectory or dining hall. It dates from about 1300 and is massively constructed with a vaulted roof supported by tall Gothic arches. Windows were usually very small for defence purposes and no glass was used, pieces of cloth or carpets kept out wind and rain.

Steps lead up to the embattlements where there is a fine view of both ancient and modern harbours. Modern ships still use the same harbour entrance as it was in the golden age of Famagusta, 1300 to 1400 A.D. In those times harbours were defended by a huge iron chain slung across the water, and just by the entrance, and opposite the Citadel, can be seen a clump of rocks on a promontory where there was the chain tower. The chain was lowered into the water when enemy ships were in the offing.