At the ragged summits of the Kyrenia mountain range, overlooking the Mediterranean and the surrounding areas of North Cyprus, Saint Hilarion Castle stands proudly as a monument to those who built it. Famed as the supposed inspiration for Walt Disney's 'Sleeping Beauty', Hilarion is one of the best preserved of all the Crusader Castles and offers plenty to anyone with a keen interest in history - or anyone searching for some truly spectacular views!

The castle is named after Saint Hilarion, a hermit who fled from persecution and lived in a cave. He was an abbot from Palestine, who became a convert to Christianity and was supposed to have visited St. Antony. Returning to his birthplace, he discovered his parents dead and gave away all his belongings. His regime was monastic in the extreme and he lived on figs, bread, vegetables and oil and slept in a shelter of reeds. Disciples came to learn from him and crowds were attracted to him by his austerities and miracles. Eventually settling in Cyprus, he died at the age of eighty.

Saint Hilarion was originally built as a watch tower to give warning of approaching pirates and although a monastery and a church were built here originally, the first references to a castle are in records of 1191BC. For some time the site remained of military value, but later became the summer resort of the Lusignan nobility. When the Venetians invaded Cyprus in 1489, they relied on major cities and ports for defence and Hilarion was neglected and fell into disrepair. In its outline and arrangement today, the castle remains as the Byzantines built it, but parts are Frankish and the work of those who rebuilt and improved the castle in Lusignan times.

The castle has three parts; a lower ward, occupying the southward slope below the summit; a middle ward (the main section on the eastward shoulder) and an upper ward, between the twin crests of the summit. The defences of the main entrance were fortified by the Byzantines in the 11th century with the lower section of the castle lacking any important buildings and used to house soldiers and horses. The middle section contained a royal palace, kitchen and church. At the entrance to the castle in the upper section there is a Lusignan Gate with a courtyard in the middle. The panoramic view of Northern Cyprus from the Queen's window (a window carved in the Gothic style) on the second floor of the royal apartments is superb and well worth the climb!

Seven towers surround the lower section and paths leading from it pass through original stables, entered by an archway high enough for a mounted knight. The Middle Ward is reached through a massive gate house; originally of Byzantine construction within which Lusignan masons later built a vaulted passage in cut stone. The church is far larger than a normal castle chapel, suggesting that the first major building on the site was a monastery. This ready-made accommodation would have made the site ideal for a castle. The church is fairly basic, but traces of two paintings survive on the south wall, the second of 12th century style, perhaps dating from some restoration. North of the church steps lead down to passage and hall, rebuilt in the 14th century, but with earlier masonry in the end walls suggesting Byzantine origins.

This earlier hall may have originally been monastery's refectory. Surrounding buildings date from Lusignan occupation. A quick route leads down from here, to a terrace outside the cellars of the hall and joins the path leading to the route to the top of the castle. For a longer route, follow the stone steps and passage which lead under the kitchen into the buildings forming the eastern end of the castle. Here stands a construction of obvious importance, probably the site of royal apartments before the more spacious quarters in the upper ward were built. Rejoining the upward path, a zigzag route climbs to the Upper Ward. The entrance is through a Frankish arch set in a rougher, Byzantine wall and protected by a tower similar to those found below. The courtyard is flanked by the twin peaks of the Kyrenia mountain range summit. On the west the courtyard is closed by the Lusignan Royal Apartments. The west wall retains at the south end one of its tracery windows with side-seats, popularly known as the Queen's window. From the courtyard a short climb again brings you to the top ramparts and at a height of some 732 metres above sea-level, magnificent views await. Descending, the adventurous can Prince John's Tower. With sheer precipices on three sides this is assumed to be the donjon-tower and the place where the Prince of Antioch's Bulgarians met their unenviable end. On the downward journey, most of the middle ward can be by-passed through a passage and tunnel, the latter surviving from the Byzantine monastery. On returning to the lower levels, anyone with the time and inclination can explore the eastern section of the lower ward. There was a postern here and, as elsewhere, cisterns were constructed against the inner face of the wall. High on the slope, below the church, are the much ruined remains of a bath building of Byzantine construction.

Saint Hilarion Castle is in an excellent state of preservation and is well-maintained, but there is quite a lot of climbing involved. Especially on hot days it is essential to carry some refreshments and to wear stout shoes. Also, the castle is not really recommended for anyone suffering from vertigo! There is a large car-park at the base of the castle (together with a cafe) and it is only a short drive from Kyrenia and the north Cyprus coast. One of the best preserved ancient castles in the world, Saint Hilarion is highly recommended as part of any holiday to Northern Cyprus.