Tumlu (Dumlu) Castle - 19 January 2021

    Tumlu Castle is an Armenian castle built in the 12th century. The handsome structure sits on a limestone outcrop ca. 150 m high. The Armenians were not the first to occupy the place as fragments of a Roman pottery, dated to the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, were found in situ (Pekol 2015). Within the stronghold's solid walls a garrison was stationed which protected an auxiliary trail from modern-day Imamoğlu town to the Kozan-Ceyhan road (Edwards 1987). The castle underwent restoration works in 2014-15 that had to be halted due to safety issues (Pekol 2015). At the time of my visit there was no tourist-friendly access to the interior. To get inside I climbed up an almost vertical rocky wall and squeezed myself through a postern in one of the towers. 

Tumlu Castle from east *

Landform (Google Earth) *

Castle plan (after Edwards 1987) *

Looking from west *

Convenient ascent from east *

Gate B (on plan) *

No stairs, no ladder, no rope *

I crawled up, nonetheless; 
Gate B's slot machicolation *

No access to Gate C; Armenians
could use drawbridge *

Additional defensive structure (A)
opposite Gate B *

Outer wall of Hall K *

Tower M with postern; that's how I got inside *

Restored door arch of Tower M *

Tower M is square inside *

Cistern L *

Looking from western end of Wall N *

    From the left: Room D, Gate C, Cistern E, possibly a chapel behind Cistern E, Storage Room G, behind G there is Tower F serving as a one-hatch cistern.  

Room D, entrance *

Room D, looking from north *

Room D, looking from south *

Room D and Gate C *

Gate C under renovation *

Gate B seen from Gate C;
Dumlu village in background *

North wall of Cistern E, some lime mortar on it *

Cistern E, made entirely of tile bricks *

Space adjacent to Gate C's southern
 wall seems to be chapel *

Apse, I believe *

'Apse' window *

'Apse' decorations at regular interval *

Storage Rooms G and H *

Embrasures over H with brick arches - most likely
later Mamluk element *

Part of H's interior *

On roof of Room I *

I's interior; looking from south *

West entrance to I *

Storage Room J *

Storage Room J terminates in southeastern
tower that could have wooden roof *

Hall K adjacent to Tower M and Cistern L *

One of three roundheaded door to K * 

Hall K, vault supported by two ribs;
 looking from east *

Wall N with four embrasures *

Northwestern view (P) *

Back to postern; time to go *

Limestone outcrop; southern view *

It was great! *