Saranta Kolones Castle was the main stronghold of the fortress wall that surrounded Kato Paphos in the 6th century. The castle was located 200 meters from the sea. It was a regular quadrangle with a wall length of 35 meters. On the sides there were fortress towers.
Saranta Kolones Castle was built by the Byzantines in the 6th century, when the Arab Caliphate appeared in the Middle East, and Cyprus was threatened with the capture of the island. It was fortified with granite columns, which were transferred from the Greek Agora of Kato Paphos. Because of these columns, the castle was named Saranta Colones, which means "Castle of the Forty Columns".
The castle was built under the supervision of the Byzantine general Theodore, who was the brother of Emperor Heraclius I. He also built two towers in the port and strengthened the walls of Paphos. However, the Arabs were able to capture Paphos in 653, and they destroyed the castle. The Byzantines rebuilt it, but in 688 an agreement was reached between the Arabs and the Byzantines on the joint administration of the island. As a result, the castle was dismantled again.
In 965, with the strengthening of the power of the Byzantines, and then the Crusaders, the Castle of Saranta Kolones was restored again, but in 1222 it was destroyed by a powerful earthquake, along with other buildings of Paphos. After that, the castle of Saranta Colones was not restored. The new Paphos Castle was built at the entrance to the harbor of Paphos.
