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Pafos Medieval Fort

Pafos Medieval Fort

The Pafos Medieval Fort which is of impressive rectangular shape and symmetrical small size, makes the predominat picture of scenic harbor of Pafos. The fort was “built by Ahmed Pasha in 1592 A. D.” as the inscription obove the main entrance says. However, it is a reconstruction on the ruins of a formerly existing Frankish fort, sections of which were encompassed in the new building. There is an evidence of the Frankish fort being blown up and destroyed by the Venetians during the Ottoman raids as they were unable to face the invasion. Some historians and annalists claim that the fort dates even further back to the Byzantine period. History and the isolated geographical position of Pafos was the reason for constructing of a fort right beneath the harbor.

It is highly probable that this function was originally fulfilled by the fort at Saranta Kolones, a few metres north of the present fort. It is also likely that at some phase, as the old fort was ruined, the present fort was constructed to replace it, at a short distance from the original site. Some of its rooms were used as prison cells during the rule of Ottoman, whereas the British used the building to store the salt. Later, in 1953 the fort was entitled an ancient monument.

At present, eastwards off the fort, in a short distance, the remains of an old construction, which probably formed part of the whole fortification, are possible to recognize. As assumed, there were two towers included in the fort linked by a wall. The tower that remains until today is a part of the western tower, while the smaller pieces on the sea wall represent the ruins of the eastern tower. Basically, the fort has two storeys. The first floor includes the skylights and five rooms which are connected via a wooden bridge. The position of the bridge is easily to discern. Two openings on the floor linking the underground prison cells, represent a commonplace feature of medieval period and are also easy to recognize. There are a number of steps opposite the main entrance leading to the roof of the fort, with three rooms in it. One of them functioned as a mosque while the other ones housed the garrison, during Ottoman’s rule.