Snt Hilarion Castle

Snt Hilarion Castle - The Great Saint

The castle is named, not after St. Hilarion the Great, the founder of monasticism in Palestine who died near Paphos about A.D. 371, but after a later saint, of whom little is known. He is counted among the three hundred saints who according to local tradition, sought refuge in Cyprus when the Arabs overran the Holly Land. His relics were preserved in the castle and "kept right workshipfully" according to an English visitor in the 14th century. It may be presumed that he retired to this hill-top to live the life of a hermit and that as the hermitage of St. Neophytos near Paphos, a monastery was established to shelter those who should follow his example, as well pilgrims to his tomb.

Perched high in the Kyrenia mountain range, overlooking the Mediterranean and the surrounding areas of North Cyprus, stands the castle of St Hilarion. Reputedly the inspiration for Walt Disney's 'Sleeping Beauty', the castle remains one of the best preserved of all the Crusader Castles, thanks mainly to the work of the North Cyprus Antiquities Department.

The castle offers many opportunities for both those with an interest in history and those seeking spectacular views - on a clear day you can see all the way to the Turkish mainland!. Stout shoes are essential and especially in the hotter months, visitors should carry plenty of refreshments with them!.

The castle has three parts. The parapets for the defense of the main entrance were fortified by the Byzantines in the 11th century with the lower section of the castle being used for billeting soldiers and their horses. The middle section contained the royal palace, the kitchen, the church and a big cistern. At the entrance to the castle in the upper section there is a Lusignan Gate with a courtyard in the middle. The panoramic view of Northern Cyprus from the Queen’s window (a window carved in the Gothic style) on the second floor of the royal apartments is superb and well worth the climb!