Gülek Castle - 2 May 2022

    Gülek Castle is an Armenian castle built in the 12th century on a mountain top some 2 km southwest of the Cilician Gates. Its function was to control the Tarsus road (Roman Via Tauri), and impose tolls on merchants. The Armenians were neither the first nor the last to exploit the natural potential of the place which is situated at the altitude of 1530 m. Coins found by local treasure hunters inform us on the presence of the Byzantines and Arabs.  The Mamluks, who put an end to the Armenian Kingdom in the 14th century, manned the castle as well. However, it seems that no one before the Armenians built any fortifications on site as there are no traces of a stonework predating them (Edwards 1987). 

Typical Armenian gate (A on plan) *

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 *

Yılankale (Snake Castle) - 19 January 2021 & 1 September 2018

    Snake Castle is a medieval Armenian castle erected on a limestone outcrop near the Ceyhan river and not far away from the modern city of Ceyhan. The structure is well preserved and attracts a lot of attention since it is visible from the D-400 road running from Adana to Osmaniye to its north. The ascent to the castle is from the south; it is steep at times and some climbing is necessary to get to the highest bailey.

 

Snake Castle from northeast *

Kastabala / Kesmeburun - 19 November 2020

    It is not clear when the city was founded. Its Luwian name points to the Hittite period (c. 1700-1200 BC). The first written reference to Kastabala comes from an inscription in Aramaic (5-4th c. BC) and mentions 'Kastabalay'. In the Hellenistic time, the city became Hierapolis (2nd c. BC) only to regain its original name under Roman rule. The Romans brought peace and prosperity to Cilicia, and left many traces of their architectural genius behind. Also in Kastabala.

Kastabala *

Anazarbos (Anavarza) / Dilekkaya - Upper City - 10 October 2020

    After visiting the Lower City in July, I set off to continue my acquaintance with the ancient city of Anazarbos. On this occasion, I focused on the Upper City (or Acropolis) which is situated strategically on an isolated crag, 220 m above the Çukurova plain. It is speculated that the advantages of location were first recognized by the Assyrians in the 9th century BC.  The majority of remains come from the medieval Armenian period, nevertheless. They are accessible after a short ascent from the southwest.

Anazarbos from northwest *

Kozan (Sis) Castle - 1 August 2020

    Sis Castle was constructed by the Armenians some time in the 12th century AD, but they were not the first inhabitants of the site. It competed with Anavarza for importance to finally become the seat of Armenian kings. The length of the wall circuit was close to 3 km (Edwards, 1987).  I climbed up to the rock top, but soon after I heard my sweet daughter crying at the foot of the castle. I could do nothing but to rush down to her what left me with a shortage of photos. 

Ascent from east *

Kozan, Arıkan Mansion - 31 July 2020

    We arrived in Kozan on the first day of Bayram. We were the only guests in this place and we enjoyed every moment of absolute peace. Regarding the mansion, it was built by Armenians in the 19th cent. (AD of course) though the staff (nice people) claimed its Turkish origin.

Arıkan Mansion (A) *

Adana, Tepebağ - July 2020

    Tepebağ is a historical neighbourhood in the old town of Adana. It sits on a hill situated on the western bank of the Seyhan River which was navigable until 1950s when the Seyhan Dam was built for irrigation, electricity and flood prevention. Tepebağ is the place where the first Adana settlement was established in the Late Bronze Age, around 1500 BC. Unfortunately, the archaeological excavations on site, conducted by Çukurova University first and later by Bern University, were relatively short and small-scaled. Nevertheless, the scholars unearthed some interesting artefacts that are now displayed at Adana Museum. The current character of Tepebağ is rooted in the Ottoman period and the local history of Turks, Arabs and Armenians.

Tepebağ indeed *

Flaviopolis (Ala Mosque) / Kadirli - 19 July 2020

    Flaviopolis was the ancient city founded by Emperor Vespasian in AD 73 (Sayar 2010) Vespasian was a member of the Flavian family which gave the name to the polis. The foundation took place a year after the Seleucids were finally stripped of their lands by Vespasian and Cilicia became fully Roman. Flaviopolis was the last city built in the region by the Romans (Sayar 2010). It is yet to be definitely confirmed that Kadirli is Flaviopolis, but the objects unearthed in situ, i.e. a Roman bath and villa with mosaics are strong leads in favour of such hypothesis. Today, where the city once stood, we can see a basilica from the 5th century, which was converted into a mosque, called Ala, in the Middle Ages.      

Looking from west *