Castle of Lemesos, Cyprus
| General Attributes |
DOI| 10.34946/D6S592 | |
| Project Name | Castle of Lemesos |
| Country | Cyprus |
| Status | Upcoming |
| Download |
| Spatial Data | Coming Soon |
| Data Bounds (approx.) |
Data Types |
| Data Type |
Size |
Device Name |
Device Type |
| Photogrammetry - Aerial | 10.8 GB | DJI Phantom 3 | Drone |
| LiDAR - Terrestrial | 4.36 GB | Z+F 5016 | Phase Based Laser Scanner |
| Background |
| Site Description | The Medieval Castle of Lemesos, positioned adjacent to the old harbor at the core of the historic district of Lemesos, serves as the home to the Medieval Collection of the Cyprus Museum. Although earlier architectural iterations of a larger and older structure existed, the current building dates back to the period of Ottoman rule. Archaeological excavations within the castle grounds unveiled its construction over an Early Christian basilica (4th-7th century A.D.) and a Middle Byzantine monument (10th-11th century A.D.). Additional discoveries beneath the castle grounds suggest the presence of a significant church, potentially the city's inaugural cathedral. According to historical accounts by Etienne Lusignan, the initial castle was erected by Guy de Lusignan in 1193. From its establishment until the early 16th century, the castle endured damage from continuous assaults by the Genoese and the Mameluks, as well as earthquakes, leading to cycles of restoration and reconstruction. In 1538, the Ottomans seized Lemesos and its castle. Subsequently, the Venetian governor of Cyprus, upon reclaiming the castle, opted to dismantle it to prevent its potential capture. This demolition was finalized in 1567/8. Following the Ottoman conquest of Cyprus in 1576, remnants or segments of the castle were integrated (circa 1590) into the new Ottoman fortification, significantly fortified. The subterranean chamber and the first floor were repurposed as prison cells and remained operational until 1950. With the relocation of central prisons to Lefkosia, the Castle of Lemesos was transferred to the Department of Antiquities and converted into the District Museum, housing the Medieval Collection of the Cyprus Museum since 1987. The Collection's exhibits offer insights into Cyprus' historical progression, its economic, social, and artistic advancements, and the daily lives of its populace spanning from the 3rd to the 18th century A.D. |
| Project Description | TBA
Terrestrial Lidar
|
| Additional Information | Learn more |
| Collection Date | 0001-01-01 to 0001-01-01 |
| Publication Date | 0001-01-01 |
| License Type | CC BY-NC-SA |
| Model Information |
| Reuse Score | B - High-Quality Model without Georeferencing |
| Citation |
| Mnemosyne Research Center, UNESCO Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage, Cyprus University of Technology 0001: Castle of Lemesos - Photogrammetry - Aerial, LiDAR - Terrestrial. Distributed by Open Heritage 3D. https://doi.org/10.34946/D6S592 |
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