North Cyprus Properties

Kyrenia is the most attractive town on the coast of North Cyprus with its picturesque Venetian Harbour front and fascinating old quarter.

Northern Cyprus Kyrenia was first settled by the Greeks and they soon made use of local quarried stone to build their town. The Kyrenia town grew in population, and was well established by Roman times. In the seventh century, Arab raids made living on the coastline of North Cyprus dangerous, and Kyrenia’s basic defense walls were useless the marauding raiders. The citizens of North Cyprus Kyrenia quickly built a castle as a defense which overlooks the modern Kyrenia Harbour.

By 1300, the town was very well defended, with a moat around the castle and the entrance to the port secured by a chain right across it, preventing ships from entering without permission. The Venetians came and improved the defenses enlarging the castle and forming the shape of the Harbour that can be seen today. They also built fine buildings in Kyrenia itself; the Folk Museum is housed in one such three storey house.

After the Venetians were defeated in 1571, many Ottoman military men stayed behind in Cyprus to colonise the island, and others came from mainland Turkey with their families. The Ottoman Empire gave such settlers generous tax breaks and other incentives to move, and by 1878 there were almost 100, 000 Turkish Cypriots on the island.

As soon as you arrive at the Northern Cyprus Kyrenia Harbour you can see immediately why the town is so popular with tourists and holiday-makers. The Kyrenia Harbour itself is full of North Cyprus restaurants and cafés, ideal for sitting back and watching the world go by. The former tall carob warehouses have been converted into restaurants and shops, giving the Harbour a bustling lively feel without feeling rushed or crowded.

The Harbour is dominated by the impressive Kyrenia Castle. There are some wonderful views of the town, the Mediterranean and the mountains from the top. The Castle also houses the Kyrenia Shipwreck Museum, where the remains of an ancient trading ship, pulled from the mud just outside the Harbour, are preserved.