Kolossi Castle
Dublin Core
Title
Kolossi Castle
Alternative Title
Κάστρο Κολοσσίου
Subject
Description
Kolossi castle is a medieval castle built in the 15th century A.D. It is also known as Koulas. The donjon lies in the vicinity of the village of the same name in the south-western outskirts of Limassol. The plain on which the castle is located is one of the agriculturally richest regions of the island from which the renowned Commandaria comes from. The order of Saint John, the owners of the castle, initiated the production of the wine which reached even north-European royal courts. The castle constitutes one of the most important building works of the Frankish period (A.D. 1191-1489). Its services were multi-faceted throughout the centuries including being: the main residence of the Grand Commander and the administrative centre of the Order; the estates’ nucleus for the production of sugar and other products of the region; the domination symbol of the Hospitallers; a storage house; water features; and viewpoints. Before the erection of the current castle, a quadrangular curtain wall with supporting rooms on the west side, related to the refinement of sugar, must occupied the area. However, the keep which one can see today was built in the 1450s by Louis de Magnac, the General Commander of the Hospitallers in Cyprus. The fortress is an enormous square, well-built, three-story edifice, built from local limestone ashlar blocks. The castle is one of the most photographed monuments, adorning postcards, postage stamps, gravures and other media. Today the castle is open to the public to visit as a sightseeing.
Το κάστρο Κολοσσίου είναι Μεσαιωνικό φρούριο το οποίο χρονολογείται στον 15ο αιώνα μ.Χ. και οικοδομήθηκε με χορηγία του Louis de Magnac, Μεγάλου Μαγίστρου του Τάγματος των Ιωαννιτών Ιπποτών. Το φρούριο ονομάζεται και Κούλας και βρίσκεται σε μια από τις πιο εύφορες πεδιάδες του νησιού, στα νοτιο-δυτικά της πόλης της Λεμεσού στην οποία έδρευε η Commanderie – Ανώτατη Στρατιωτική Διοίκηση - των Ιωαννιτών Ιπποτών, από την οποία εξέλαβε και το όνομά του το περίφημο κρασί Κουμανταρία.
Το κάστρο αποτελεί ένα από τα πιο σημαντικά οικοδομήματα της Φραγκικής περιόδου (A.D. 1191-1489) και κατά τη διάρκεια των αιώνων είχε αρκετές και διαφορετικές χρήσεις όπως η κύρια κατοικία του Μεγάλου Μαγίστρου και το διοικητικό κέντρο του Τάγματος, κέντρο παραγωγής ζάχαρης και άλλων προϊόντων της περιοχής, σύμβολο κυριαρχίας των Ιωαννιτών Ιπποτών, αποθηκευτικοί χώροι, δεξαμενές νερού και παρατηρητήριο.
Το κάστρο αποτελεί ένα απο τα πιο πολυφωτογραφημένα μνημεία του νησιού, διακοσμώντας καρτ-ποστάλ, γραμματόσημα, γκραβούρες και άλλα μέσα. Σήμερα το κάστρο είναι ανοικτό προς επίσκεψη από το κοινό.
Το κάστρο αποτελεί ένα από τα πιο σημαντικά οικοδομήματα της Φραγκικής περιόδου (A.D. 1191-1489) και κατά τη διάρκεια των αιώνων είχε αρκετές και διαφορετικές χρήσεις όπως η κύρια κατοικία του Μεγάλου Μαγίστρου και το διοικητικό κέντρο του Τάγματος, κέντρο παραγωγής ζάχαρης και άλλων προϊόντων της περιοχής, σύμβολο κυριαρχίας των Ιωαννιτών Ιπποτών, αποθηκευτικοί χώροι, δεξαμενές νερού και παρατηρητήριο.
Το κάστρο αποτελεί ένα απο τα πιο πολυφωτογραφημένα μνημεία του νησιού, διακοσμώντας καρτ-ποστάλ, γραμματόσημα, γκραβούρες και άλλα μέσα. Σήμερα το κάστρο είναι ανοικτό προς επίσκεψη από το κοινό.
Creator
Source
[1] C. Enlart, L Art Gothique et de la Renaissance en Chypre. Paris: Republished translated and edited by David Hunt (London, 1987), 1899.
[2] A. H. S. Megaw, A Brief History and Description of Kolossi Castle. Nicosia: Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, 1964.
[3] E. Aristidou, Kolossi Castle Through The Centuries. Nicosia, 2004.
[4] J.-B. de Vaivre, La Forteresse de Kolossi en Chypre, in Monuments et Memoires de la Fondation Eugene Piot, Tome 79., Paris: Publiers par L Academie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres avec le concours de la Fondation Dourlans, 2000, pp. 73 155. (https://www.persee.fr/doc/piot_1148-6023_2000_num_79_1_1373)
[5] P. Vaivre, J-B. de, Plagnieux, L Art Gothique en Chypre. Paris: Memoires de l Academie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, 2006.
[6] E. G. Rey, Etude sur les monuments de l architecture militaire des Croises en Syrie et dans l Ile de Chypre. Paris, 1871.(https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6261777m/f1.item.r=kolossi.zoom)
[7] M. R. Morgan, The Chronicle of Ernoul and the Continuations of William of Tyre. Oxford, 1973.
[8] P. W. Edbury, The Lyon Eracles and the Old French Continuations of William of Tyre, in Montjoie: Studies in Crusade History in honour of Hans Eberhard Mayer, R. ed. Kedar, B.Z., Riley-Smith, J., Hiestrand, Ed. Aldershot, 1997, pp. 139-153.
[9] J. S. Petre, Crusader Castles of Cyprus: The Fortifications of Cyprus Under The Lusignans: 1191-1489. Nicosia: Cyprus Research Centre, Texts and Studies in the History of Cyprus LXIX, 2012.
[10] G. Jeffery, A Description of the Historic Monuments of Cyprus: Studies in the Archaeology and Architecture of the Island. Cyprus, 1918. (https://archive.org/details/cu31924028551319)
[11] S. Lusignan, Description de Toute L Isle de Chypre. Paris: Republished in Nicosia, 2004, Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, 1580.
[12] G. Grivaud, Excerpta Cypria Nova, Vol. I. Nicosia: Voyageurs Occidentaux a Chypre au XVeme Siecle, Centre de Recherches Scientifiques. Sources et Etudes de L Histoire de Chypre, 1990.
[13] F. Bustron, Chronique de l Ile de Chypre. Paris: ed. Rene de Mas Latrie. Collection des documents inedits sur l histoire de France: Melanges historiques, 5, 1886. (https://archive.org/details/chroniquedelle00bustuoft/page/n5)
[14] S. Lusignan, Chorograffia et breve Historia Universale dell Isola de Cipro Principiando al Tempo di Noe per in Sino al 1572. Paris: Reprinted in Nicosia, 2004, Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, 1573.
[15] M. Olympios, Rummaging through Ruins: Architecture in Limassol in the Lusignan and Venetian Periods, in Lemesos. A History of Limassol in Cyprus from Antiquity to the Ottoman Conques, C. Nicolaou-Konnari, Angel, Schabel, Ed. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2015, pp. 362 500.
[16] R. C. Severis, Travelling Artists in Cyprus: 1700-1960. Philip Wilson Publishers, 2000.
[2] A. H. S. Megaw, A Brief History and Description of Kolossi Castle. Nicosia: Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, 1964.
[3] E. Aristidou, Kolossi Castle Through The Centuries. Nicosia, 2004.
[4] J.-B. de Vaivre, La Forteresse de Kolossi en Chypre, in Monuments et Memoires de la Fondation Eugene Piot, Tome 79., Paris: Publiers par L Academie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres avec le concours de la Fondation Dourlans, 2000, pp. 73 155. (https://www.persee.fr/doc/piot_1148-6023_2000_num_79_1_1373)
[5] P. Vaivre, J-B. de, Plagnieux, L Art Gothique en Chypre. Paris: Memoires de l Academie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, 2006.
[6] E. G. Rey, Etude sur les monuments de l architecture militaire des Croises en Syrie et dans l Ile de Chypre. Paris, 1871.(https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6261777m/f1.item.r=kolossi.zoom)
[7] M. R. Morgan, The Chronicle of Ernoul and the Continuations of William of Tyre. Oxford, 1973.
[8] P. W. Edbury, The Lyon Eracles and the Old French Continuations of William of Tyre, in Montjoie: Studies in Crusade History in honour of Hans Eberhard Mayer, R. ed. Kedar, B.Z., Riley-Smith, J., Hiestrand, Ed. Aldershot, 1997, pp. 139-153.
[9] J. S. Petre, Crusader Castles of Cyprus: The Fortifications of Cyprus Under The Lusignans: 1191-1489. Nicosia: Cyprus Research Centre, Texts and Studies in the History of Cyprus LXIX, 2012.
[10] G. Jeffery, A Description of the Historic Monuments of Cyprus: Studies in the Archaeology and Architecture of the Island. Cyprus, 1918. (https://archive.org/details/cu31924028551319)
[11] S. Lusignan, Description de Toute L Isle de Chypre. Paris: Republished in Nicosia, 2004, Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, 1580.
[12] G. Grivaud, Excerpta Cypria Nova, Vol. I. Nicosia: Voyageurs Occidentaux a Chypre au XVeme Siecle, Centre de Recherches Scientifiques. Sources et Etudes de L Histoire de Chypre, 1990.
[13] F. Bustron, Chronique de l Ile de Chypre. Paris: ed. Rene de Mas Latrie. Collection des documents inedits sur l histoire de France: Melanges historiques, 5, 1886. (https://archive.org/details/chroniquedelle00bustuoft/page/n5)
[14] S. Lusignan, Chorograffia et breve Historia Universale dell Isola de Cipro Principiando al Tempo di Noe per in Sino al 1572. Paris: Reprinted in Nicosia, 2004, Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, 1573.
[15] M. Olympios, Rummaging through Ruins: Architecture in Limassol in the Lusignan and Venetian Periods, in Lemesos. A History of Limassol in Cyprus from Antiquity to the Ottoman Conques, C. Nicolaou-Konnari, Angel, Schabel, Ed. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2015, pp. 362 500.
[16] R. C. Severis, Travelling Artists in Cyprus: 1700-1960. Philip Wilson Publishers, 2000.
Publisher
Library of Cyprus University of Technology
Digital Heritage Research Lab Cyprus University of Technology
Contributor
Department of Antiquities, Cyprus
Rights
Relation
Postage stamp of King George V depicting Kolossi castle 2 1/2 piasters (1934)
Postage stamp of King George VI depicting Kolossi castle 2 1/2 piasters (1938)
Postage stamp of King George VI depicting Kolossi castle 3 piasters (1938)
Postage stamp of King George VI depicting Kolossi castle 4 piasters (1938)
Postage stamp of Kolossi Castle, EUROPA Issue Architecture (1978)
Photograph of the Kolossi castle during the 1950s-1960s (PIO Press and Information Office)
Photograph of the Kolossi castle (Pattichion Municipal Museum, Historical Archive and Research Centre)
Photograph of the Kolossi Medieval Castle (13th centuary)
History of Kolossi castle
Images of Kolossi castle's 3D point cloud
Flythrough video presenting Kolossi castle's 3D pointcloud
Video showing tourists visiting archaeological sites all around Cyprus, including the Kolossi castle
Postcard depicting Cypriot people in front of Kolossi Castle
Orthophoto views of the Kolossi castle
The architectural drawings of the Kolossi castle
The three-dimensional model of the Kolossi castle in 3D-PDF
HBIM (Historic Building Information Model) Model of the Kolossi castle in Autodesk Revit 2020 (.rvt)
Format
jpeg
Language
el
en
Type
Identifier
MEDIEVAL_KOLOSSI_CASTLE_GEN_VIEW
Date Created
15th century
Is Part Of
Europeana Archaeology
Temporal Coverage
Frankish (1191-1489)
Venetian (1489-1571)
Ottoman (1571-1878)
British (1878-1960)
Modern (1960-2008)
Medieval European (1200-1499)
Files
Collection
Citation
Louis de Magnac, “Kolossi Castle,” Αψίδα, accessed December 31, 2024, https://apsida.cut.ac.cy/items/show/45385.