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The medieval castle of the small town of Paphos, on the west coast of the island of Cyprus, is witness to the many wars, occupations and the various conquerors throughout its many centuries of existence. It is believed that the castle was originally built as a Byzantine fort. Following its destruction during a strong earthquake in 1222, the Lusignans re-built a new fortress on its grounds. The Venetians who later conquered the island dismantled it in 1570. During the Ottoman occupation of Cyprus, the fortress was strengthened and was used by the Ottomans for defence purposes. During that period, part of the castle was used as a mosque. During the British colonial rule, the castle was used to store salt until 1935, when it was declared an ancient monument. The Paphos castle is on the UNESCO list of world heritage monuments and is today used as a tourist attraction and the setting for cultural events.