Forty Columns Fortress

Paphos, Cyprus

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Forty Columns Fortress, known as Saranta Kolones, is a Byzantine castle built in the late 7th century AD to protect the port and city of Nea Paphos from Arab raids.

It earned its name from the many granite columns found on the site, believed to have been part of a Roman-era agora. The fortress featured thick walls about three meters wide, surrounded by a moat and reinforced with eight towers, including four at the corners and four along the walls, with a horseshoe-shaped tower guarding the main eastern entrance.

The central courtyard measured 35 by 35 meters, with access across a wooden bridge. It was an important defense structure, later remodeled by the Lusignan rulers in the 12th century. The castle was destroyed by an earthquake in 1222 and subsequently abandoned. Today, visitors can explore the ruins, which offer insight into the region's complex history of defense, architecture, and its role during Byzantine and medieval times.​