The so-called “beach-tower” of Kyrenia city walls, Cyprus

• Alessandro Camiz ^[1] ; Marika Griffo ^[3] ; Emilia Valletta ^[3] ; Almira Khafizou ^[2]
  1. [1] Özyeğin University

     Özyeğin University

     Turquía

     
  2. [2] Girne American University

     Girne American University

     Chipre

     
  3. [3] Sapienza Università di Roma

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• Localización: FORTMED2020 - Defensive Architecture of the Mediterranean, vol. XII / coord. por Julio Navarro Palazón, Luis José García Pulido, 2020, ISBN 978-84-9048-864-5, págs. 1093-1100
• Idioma: español
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• Resumen

  • The so-called “beach-tower” is the smallest of the three remaining towers belonging to the Kyrenia’s medieval enceinte. Semi-circular in plan, with circa 6 m of diameter, the tower is today partially obliterated by the medieval urban tissue and is visible only from one side. Built during the twelfth-thirteenth centuries, this harbour overlooking tower is raised on a pedestal in the north-west inner corner of the city walled enclosure. The tower shows on the outside two windows that might belong to a later phase, being too wide as defensive openings, and includes fragments of the adjoining city walls that ran to the east, towards the castle and to the west towards the beach city gate. Kyrenia city’s walled defensive system was dismantled by the Venetians when the use of gunpowder cannon became prevalent, however, traces and records still remain enshrined in the medieval constructions. The paper, following the historical research, attempts to date the construction of this tower, and by examining the fortification remains with a digital survey, applies the comparison with other coeval examples together with the comparative analysis of the different masonry types.