Mamure Castle (Turkish: Mamure kalesi) is a well-preserved medieval castle located 6 kilometers east of Anamur in the province of Mersin. The castle has a beautiful location, right on the sea.

History

The castle was built in the 13th century by the rulers of Cilician Armenia, on the foundations of a Roman fortress from the 3rd century AD. It was built for protection against pirates and repaired in the Byzantine Empire and during the Crusades. When Kayqubad I of the Selçuken took over the ruins of the castle in 1221, he built a larger castle, re-using the existing materials. Later the Karamanids ruled the castle. During the reign of Mahmut of Karaman it was occupied and repaired and renamed Mamure (prosperous). In 1469 the castle was annexed by the Ottoman Empire. It was repaired successively in the 15th, 16th and 18th centuries. Part of the castle was used as a caravanserai. (overnight place for caravans)

The castle was discovered in 1988 through excavations in the area.

Architecture

The castle measures 240 by 170 meters. It is surrounded by a moat and has 39 towers connected by ramparts. The castle has three courtyards, namely: west, east and south. The western courtyard contains a small complex consisting of a single mosque, minaret and a hammam (Turkish bath house). The remains of a lighthouse are in the southern courtyard.

Anamur

Anamur is a town in the province of Mersin and has almost 36,000 inhabitants.

The name is derived from the Greek Anemos, which means wind. According to legend, people who worshiped the wind lived in this city. When the Greeks arrived, it got this name.

Bananas and strawberries are grown in Anamur. The city is popular with Turkish tourists from Ankara and Konya.

Visit

Anamur is approximately 2 hours driving from Villa Carlijn

Bron: Wikipedia