The castle is not named after Saint
Hilarion of Thavata. It was named after an obscure saint, who is traditionally held to have fled to Cyprus after the
Arab conquest of the Holy Land and retired to the hilltop on which the castle was built for hermitage. An English traveller reported the preservation of his relics in the 14th century. Starting in the 11th century, the
Byzantines began fortification. Saint Hilarion, together with the castles of
Buffavento and
Kantara, formed the defense of the island against
Arab raids against the coast. Some sections were further upgraded under the
Lusignan dynasty, whose kings may have used it as a summer residence. During the rule of the Lusignans, the castle was the focus of a
four-year struggle between Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II and Regent
John of Ibelin ( – 1236) for control over Cyprus. Much of the castle was dismantled by the
Venetians in the 15th century to reduce the cost of
garrisons. == Architecture ==