Palazzo del Provveditore

Palazzo del Provveditore, commonly known as the Venetian Palace, was a royal palace in Famagusta, originally built by the Lusignan Kings of Cyprus. It was later modified and used as the governor's official residence during the Venetian rule. The central sections of the palace have been completely destroyed, with only its grand facade and back courtyard walls being left.

Lusignan kings used Famagusta as their second place of residence, in addition to Nicosia. The exact year when the palace was first built remains uncertain, however, most resources have adopted the years 1300-1302, reported by Genoese official Lamberto di Sambuceto, who used the term "palace of the King of Cyprus" (Latin: domini regis Cipri) to refer to the building. The king responsible for its construction is also uncertain. Camille Enlart has proposed Henry II.

The Venetians greatly renovated the palace, along with the city's walls and other public spaces. The front facade and the back of the palace was completely changed. Architecturally, the Gothic features were replaced with Italian Renaissance architecture. This occurred in the 16th century, and the precise dates given by Selton and Hazard are 1552-1554.

Most sources hold that the central sections were destroyed during the Siege of Famagusta in 1571, despite Ottoman descriptions of the palace in 1571 making no mention of any destruction. Structures of the palace were used as military barracks, a prison and a site for military drills during the Ottoman rule, leading to the building losing its importance in the urban fabric. There is no indication of any restoration during this time. During the British rule, the building was used as a prison and police headquarters for some time. In mid-20th century, the remaining structures were evacuated, parts converted into the Namık Kemal Dungeon Museum and the courtyard used for display of military equipment. Some modern cannons, cannonballs and "pieces of a large granite column" are currently displayed in the courtyard.

The palace is a rare example of Renaissance architecture in Cyprus. The surviving parts are the front facade, with its three arches and a coat of arms on the middle arch, an "arm" attached to this to the southeast, a chapel and an L-shaped wall at the very back of the courtyard.

Text adapted from “Palazzo del Provveditore” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Palazzo del Provveditore ranks #4,394 of 8,133 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #6 of the 6 mapped in Northern Cyprus. Founded 1300, it is older than 63% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 860 atlas entries founded in the 13th century. 1 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. The nearest day-trip guide is Limassol, 96 km away. See how Northern Cyprus compares in the castle statistics.

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