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Othello's Tower

Othello's Tower

Othello's Tower in Famagusta is the ancient fortress which guards the harbour, built during the Lusignan period in the 14th Century. It used to be called "impenetrable fortress" due to it being nearly impossible to attack because of very deep ditches surrounding it.

Also known as the Harbour Citadel, members of the royal family and their servants are believed to have lived there during the Lusignan period. Later, the Venetians took over the tower and turned it into a fort, which then provided residence for soldiers.

Christoforo Moro, the governor upon whom it is generally believed Shakespeare based his tragic hero Othello, would more likely have lived in the Palace of the Provveditore. The tower was constructed around a central oblong courtyard with a square tower at each corner. On the ground floor, the kitchens, great hall, storerooms and servants quarters were situated, whereas the reception rooms and bedrooms were situated on the second floor.

After Cyprus was sold to the Republic of Venice, the castle's square towers were replaced with circular ones to suit more modern artillery. After these modifications, a relief of the Lion of St Mark was engraved above the castle's main entrance. The name of Captain Nicolo Foscari, who directed the alterations to the castle, and the date 1492 are inscribed near the relief. Apparently Leonardo da Vinci advised the refurbishment in 1481.

The tower was renamed Othello's Tower after Giovanni San Michele, the Venetian civil engineer who was responsible for remodelling much of the city of Famagusta. You can still gain access to the round towers, with the gun ports and smoke holes still clearly visible. It contains a refectory and a dormitory, which were constructed during the Lusignan period. The castle's yard contains cannonballs left behind by the Spaniards and Ottomans, relics of its turbulent history. One of the larger parts of the tower is the Great Hall, measuring 92ft by 25ft, which in size, easily competes with the refectory at the Bellapais Abbey near Kyrenia.

In 1900, the castle's ditch was drained of water to reduce the risk of malaria. The castle began to be restored in 2014 and reopened to the public on 3 July 2015. Othello's Tower is well worth a visit if you’re sightseeing in Famagusta, as apart from the architectural wonder of the tower itself, there’s magnificent views to be had from the top of the tower over the city of Famagusta, with clear views of the Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque in the centre of the city.

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