Girne Kalesi and St. Hilarion Kalesi in Urgent Need of Repair

The country's historical symbols — Kyrenia Castle and Saint Hilarion Castle — are in a state that is causing dissatisfaction among tourists.

Annually, thousands of guests visit these sites; however, today visitors are faced with rusty turnstiles, illegible information signs, broken pointers, trash on the grounds, and sections blocked off by rusty chains. Toilet doors are secured with wire, mirrors are covered in rust, and some walls and infrastructure elements appear to be in a state of disrepair.

At the entrance to the fortress, a tiled information sign is damaged — part of the tiles are missing, and the text is impossible to read. The roof of the souvenir shop and cafe building is damaged, a picnic bench at the entrance is broken, and the turnstiles look abandoned. Accumulations of trash have been noticed around the castle.

Beyond the Royal Palace area and the Byzantine church, a soil landslide has been recorded on the stairs to the barracks. The highest point of the fortress ("the summit") and Prince John's Tower are closed off with chains. Tourists are forced to turn back, unable to view these sections.

Entrance to the castle costs 50 TL, using the toilet costs 35 TL, and a cup of coffee is 150 TL. Despite this, many areas remain closed, and staff cannot specify a timeline for repairs.

According to visitors, the current situation negatively impacts the country's tourism image and requires urgent intervention.