The medieval castle of Paphos is threatened by damage from humidity and will be closed on May 26 and 27 for maintenance works by the department of antiquities.
Stella Pissaridou, head of the department, said all stone monuments are vulnerable to moisture and efforts are continually underway to repair and preserve them.
A trademark of the city of Paphos, the castle had many uses over the years, from fortress, prison and salt depot during the British colonial period, to its current use as cultural centre, hosting events such as opera performances among others.
Pissaridou said that once repairs are completed regular monitoring is needed and while repairs are performed on an annual basis for the most part, difficulties in more frequent maintenance arise from lack of staff.
The castle of Paphos was originally built as a Byzantine fortress in 965 AD and was declared an ancient monument under the Antiquities Act in 1935.
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