In the main, the history of Kyrenia is the history of its castle. The extent of ancient fortifications is not known to any degree of accuracy, but it is likely that Achaean colonists founded the town in the tenth century B.C., and that it was a fully fledged city state until ceding to Salamis in 312 B.C. Though the town is certain to have been walled at the time of the Arab raids of the seventh century A.D., it did not take an important place in history until 1191, when Isaac Comnenus, despot of the island, sent his wife and daughter to the early Byzantine castle for shelter against the invasion of Richard Cceur de Lion. However, while Richard was delayed by illness in Nicosia, he sent Guy de Lusignan into the attack, and the castle surrendered. During the following decade it enjoyed a great period of building and reconstruction, while during the minority of Hugues I the Regent John d'lbelin converted it into a royal palace. It was then that North Cyprus Kyrenia and its castle attained its greatest grandeur and prestige, despite being involved precariously in the power politics of the Crusading years. After a siege during which the castle was occupied by the supporters of Frederick II, it was held for the Crown by a Chief Castellan. Rearrangement of the defences was undertaken after the loss of Acre in 1291, and this work probably continued sporadically until the late fourteenth century. The ultimate strength of the building then caused it to be used as a prison.
After the Genoese had seized Famagusta and sacked Nicosia in 1373 they proceeded to lay siege by land and sea to Kyrenia. The Castellan remained loyal, and withstood attack by the most powerful and vicious machines of war of the period. As soon as the Genoese troubles were over, in 1385 this Constable (now Jacques I) made Kyrenia Castle his favourite residence, and improved the amenities of the living quarters.
During the Venetian occupation of the island the conquerors set about bringing the defences up to date and making them capable of withstanding heavy artillery fire. They rebuilt the west side by covering the existing Lusignan wall, and they placed great towers at the north-west and south-east corners. On the south side they filled the space between the Prankish and Byzantine walls with earth and rubble, to make for greater strength. In spite of main moth building, the fortress was surrendered to the Turks in 1570 without a struggle when the garrison had become demoralized by the loss of Nicosia.
Under the British regime Kyrenia Castle was used as a prison and a police training school. It passed in 1950 into the charge of the Department of Antiquities, but was reoccupied by Security Forces during the EOKA troubles, and again used as a prison. It is now maintained by the Antiquities Department as an Ancient Monument.
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