Citadel Famagusta (Othello)

The original fortress was built at the beginning of the 14th century under Lusignan King Henri II. It consisted of a rectangular structure with four square towers, a large courtyard, and adjoining rooms, including a well-preserved dining hall to the north. In 1492, extensive renovations began under the Venetian prefect Nicolao Foscareno. During this period, the tall, square towers were shortened, and vulnerable sections of the wall were reinforced. All openings in the masonry were sealed, and a meter-thick, sloped sand wall with stone cladding was added. Strong, compact round towers with gun ramps were built at three corners. The northeast tower, a powerful bastion securing the harbor, received its final form around 1560, possibly based on designs by Giovanni Girolamo Sanmichele. A fortified mole extended from here to the shipping lane. The moat that once surrounded the citadel was drained and filled in by the British administration before 1900.

The Famagusta Citadel is situated in the city of Famagusta (Αμμόχωστος, Mağusa) in the Gazimağusa (Αμμόχωστος, Famagusta) district of Northern Cyprus, Cyprus, at an elevation of approximately 11 meters above sea level.

Today, the fortress is accessible to visitors and can be explored. It offers insight into the military architecture of past eras.

• Church of St. George of the Latins (sacred building), approx. 0.1 km away
• Famagusta Sea Gate City Walls (city fortification), approx. 0.2 km away
• Ayia Photou Church (sacred building), approx. 0.3 km away
• St. Anthony Church (sacred building), approx. 0.3 km away