The original castle was built by Guy Lusignan in 1193 and was surrendered to the Knights of Jerusalem in1308. The castle suffered serious damage in 1373, when Genoese conquered the castle and burnt the city. It was sufficiently restored at the end of the 14th century to withstand renewed attacks by the Genoese in 1402 and 1408. In the 1413 the castle survived the first attacks of the Marmelukes. Severe damage, however, caused by earthquakes a little later, resulted in its conquest in 1425 by the Marmelukes in their second attack of the city. In 1491 a new intense earthquake seriously damaged the castle. Extensive reconstruction was undertaken at beginning of the 16th century. In 1538 the Turks captured Limassol and the Castle. The Venetian governor of Cyprus, Bragadino, after winning the battle, decided to demolish the castle to prevent its possible recapture. The earthquakes of 1567/8 speeded up its gradual destruction. After the Ottomans acquired Cyprus in 1576 the remains of the Castle were incorporated in the new Ottoman fort which was strengthened its walls measuring 2m. in thickness. The underground chamber and the first floor were transformed into prison cells and remained in use until 1950.

Richard I, whose great individual courage in battle earned him the title Coeur de Lion (the Lion-Hearted), took charge of the Third Crusade and became one of the medieval Europe's greatest military leaders.

Richard and his army sailed from Palestine in 1190 with plans to winter in Sicily. When he found the Sicilians unhospitable, he stormed Messina and took by force what had not been offered in friendship. In the spring, Richard sailed to Cyprus and established a supply base. He arrived in the Holy Land on June 8, 1191.

Although Richard had married Berengaria, the daughter of Sancho VI of Navarre, in Cyprus during his journey to the Holy Land in 1191, it was strictly a marriage of convenience.

The castle is a must stop when you visit the Limassol old town.