Kızkalesi (castle)

Kızkalesi (Maiden's Castle, also known as Deniz kalesi) is a castle situated on a small island in Mersin Province of Turkey.

Geography

The medieval name of the island was Crambusa. At 36°27′N 34°09′E / 36.450°N 34.150°E / 36.450; 34.150 it 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 Strabo, the island was used by the pirates in the ancient age. But the castle was probably built by Alexios I Komnenos of Byzantine Empire after the First Crusade. It was rebuilt or repaired during the reign of Leo I of Cilician Kingdom of Armenia in 1199. 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 )

Kızkalesi

Kızkalesi (English: Maiden's castle) is a town in Mersin Province, Turkey. The town, known in Antiquity as Corycus or Korykos (Greek: Κώρυκος), is named after the ancient castle built on a small island just facing the town.

Geography

Kızkalesi is a Mediterranean coastal town. Taurus mountains are at north of the town and in fact some quarters of the town are situated on the lower slopes of the mountain. The surrounding area is mostly covered by macquis groves.

Kızkalesi at 36°28′N 34°9′E / 36.467°N 34.150°E / 36.467; 34.150 is a part of Erdemli district which in turn is a part of Mersin Province . Kızkalesi is west of Erdemli and Mersin. It is on the D 400 highway, the highway distances being 23 kilometres (14 mi) to Erdemli and 60 kilometres (37 mi) to Mersin. The winter (settled) population was 1687 as of 2012. But in summers, much higher population figures can be reached due to tourism.

People and history

Ancient Corycus was a large city. It became part of the Seleucid Empire, the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the various Seljuk empires, the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, Beylik of Karaman, and finally the Ottoman Empire. In Turkish history, it is known as Prince Cem Sultan's departing point from Turkey in 1482 after his defeat in an Ottoman civil war on his way to Rome. After Cem’s departure, Kızkalesi became the winter settlement of nomadic Turkmen tribes known as Ayaş. It was declared as a seat of township in 1992.

Kızkalesi (disambiguation)

Kızkalesi means "Maiden's castle" in Turkish and iy may refer to;

See also