Mamure Castle

P3

Mamure Kalesi

Mamure Kalesi is the best preserved medieval castle in the southern Turkish coast. It is located in Cilicia about six kilometers east of Anamur in the province of Mersin on the seafront.

History

The castle was built in the third century AD as a Roman fortress. During excavations in 1988 in the area as well in the castle interior foundation walls with mosaic floors were found of buildings that were classified as baths and houses. Later the castle under the rule of the Kingdom of Lesser Armenia was rebuilt. Since this was closely allied with the Crusader states, also Frankish architectural elements found in the castle. Finally, it was taken in 1375 after the end of the small Armenian kingdom of the Karamanoğulları in possession. Among these, it was expanded in the 14th century. An inscription on the north side are Karamanoğlu Alâeddinoğlu Mehmedoğlu Sultan Ibrahim as the builder and date of construction as the tenth month of the Islamic lunar year 854 (November / December 1450greg. ) To. Later, the Ottomans took over the building that she extensions again in the 19th century and used until the end of their empire.

Construction

The castle measures in west-east direction about 240 meters from north to south, 170 m. It is surrounded to the east and north of an associated with the seawater moat. The main gate is located on the east side next to the main tower, another goal lies on the north west side, where the inscription is attached. The interior is divided by walls into three courtyards. The mighty external walls are 36 partly round, partly polygonal towers, the main tower in the east has a dodecagonal plan. The two-story walls are provided with battlements and embrasures and accessible via a complex system of stairways and corridors. In the castle courtyards are located, partly integrated in the walls, stables, living rooms, bath houses, storerooms and a mosque. The latter was probably first built by the Karamanoğulları, the present building has the classic elements of Ottoman architecture of the 16th century.