Buffavento Castle

Koutsovendis, Cyprus

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Buffavento Castle is a medieval fortress perched high in the Kyrenia Mountains near Koutsovendis, Cyprus.

Believed to have been built during the Byzantine period, it formed part of a defensive network with Saint Hilarion Castle and Kantara Castle, helping to monitor the island and relay warning signals across the mountains. The castle guarded important mountain routes and was used as a watchtower, fortress, and prison.

It later came under the control of various rulers, including Richard the Lionheart during his conquest of Cyprus in 1191, before passing to the Lusignan Kingdom of Cyprus. Its name is often translated as “Defier of the Winds,” reflecting its dramatic mountaintop location. Although now a ruin, Buffavento Castle remains one of Cyprus’s most impressive medieval landmarks, renowned for its history, rugged architecture, and sweeping panoramic views of the surrounding landscape and coastline.