Kızkalesi (castle)
| Kızkalesi | |
|---|---|
| Near Kızkalesi, Erdemli | |
 Kızkalesi | |
  Kızkalesi | |
| Type | Fortress |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Mostly standing. |
| Site history | |
| Built by | Cilician Kingdom of Armenia |
Kızkalesi (Maiden's Castle, also known as Deniz kalesi) is a castle situated on a small island in Mersin Province of Turkey.
Geography
The island at 36°27′N 34°09′E / 36.450°N 34.150°E is about 300 metres (980 ft) off shore in the Mediterranean Sea. The total area of the island is about 15,000 square metres (160,000 sq ft) and the castle covers most of this area. Kızkalesi, the town facing the island in the main land which shares the same name as the island is 23 kilometres (14 mi) to Erdemli (district center) and 60 kilometres (37 mi) to Mersin (province center).
History
According to Strabon, the island was used by the pirates in the ancient age. But the castle was built during the reign of Leo I of Cilician Kingdom of Armenia in 1199.[1]The building material seems to be the stones of a former building. Probably there was an older building in place of Kızkalesi. In the 14th century the Cilician Kingdom was on the verge of collapse and in 1361 Peter I of Cyprus captured the island at the request of the inhabitants. The castle was captured by İbrahim II of Karaman in 1448 and by Gedik Ahmet Pasha of the Ottoman Empire in 1471. (Karamanids was an Anatolian beylik )[2]
Technical details
The total length of the rampart is 192 metres (630 ft).The south and the west walls are perpendicular to each other. The north and east sides are surrounded by a curved rampart. The main gate is on the north side and there is a minor gate and a gallery on the west side. There are 8 bastions each with a unique shape.[1]
