Cyprus Medieval Museum (Limassol Castle)

The Cyprus Medieval Museum occupies Limassol Castle in the Old Town beside the Old Port, on Richard and Berengaria Street. The fortress stands on the site of a Byzantine structure and a Lusignan-era castle, and tradition holds that Richard I of England married Berengaria of Navarre here in 1191 during the Third Crusade. The castle was damaged by earthquakes and by Genoese and Mamluk attacks, and the building seen today dates largely from the Ottoman reconstruction after the 1570 conquest. It later served as a prison under British rule and was restored in the 20th century before opening as a museum in 1987. The museum presents medieval Cyprus under Byzantine, Frankish (Lusignan), Venetian and early Ottoman rule, mostly in chronological order across several vaulted rooms and the upper floor. Displays include weapons and armour, pottery with sgraffito and glazed decoration, coins, jewellery, tombstones, sculpture and architectural fragments, together with sections on daily life and trade. A medieval hall and rooftop terrace survive in the building, and the thick masonry and arched chambers form part of the exhibit. The approach is educational, using labelled cases and maps rather than immersive reconstruction, with English and Greek labels. The museum is administered by the Department of Antiquities, and its location in the Old Town makes it easy to combine with the Old Port, the Kebir Mosque and the Old Carob Mill. Hours are reported as Monday to Saturday 09:00-17:00 and Sunday 10:00-13:00, but sources differ and visitors should confirm by telephone on +357 25 305 419. Admission is EUR 4.5. A full visit normally takes about an hour.