Land Gate and Rivettina Bastion (Ravelin)
| Name | : Land Gate and Rivettina Bastion (Ravelin) |
| Type | : Gate |
| Period | : Venetian |
| Present Usage | : Monument |
| Condition | : Conflict, development pressures, and global climate change threaten this historic site. |
| Gps | : UTM 36 S 0585956 3887629 |
The Venetian walls and fortifications that
surround the historic town stand today as a superlative example of
Renaissance military architecture. They were built between 1495-1564,
incorporating the existing medieval Lusignan walls and towers, which
were dramatically reduced in height, remodeled and strengthened. The
great bastion of the Land Gate – also known as Limassol Gate – was one
of two original entrances to the walled city (the other, the Sea Gate to
the northeast, offers access from the port). It is protected by the
impressive ravelin, inside which is a labyrinth of ramps, steps and
rooms. The Land Gate was renamed Akkule or the 'White Bastion' by the
Ottomans, as it was from here that the Venetians waived the white flag
of surrender at the end of the siege of 1570-71.
It is said that in 1571, after weeks of battling and tunneling under the
walls, the Ottomans finally managed to gain access to the ravelin. The
Venetians, determined to withstand the advance, blew up their own secret
passage under the walls, burying a thousand Ottoman soldiers in the
rubble, as well as 100 of their own men.