The Romans established the foundations of the castle, seen on the right here, in the 1st century AD, and Kyrenia grew in importance after the 9th century
under the protection afforded by the castle. It played a pivotal tole under the Lusignan rule. The castle was modified by the Venetians in the 15th century.
The city finally surrendered to the Ottoman Empire in 1571. Under British rule, many Turkish Cypriots fled to Anatolia and the town became mostly inhabited by
Greek Cypriots. After the Turkish invasion in 1974, its Greek Cypriot inhabitants were displaced to the south. Kyrenia is a major cultural and economic centre
and the tourist capital of Northern Cyprus.