Bolaman Castle, Ethnographic museum and castle in Fatsa, Turkey
Bolaman Castle is a fortress on a rocky peninsula along Turkey's Black Sea coast, built with cut stone featuring inner and outer walls and several watchtowers surrounding a central courtyard. The site was restored in 2009 and now functions as an ethnographic museum and restaurant operating under the name Haznedaroğlu Mansion.
The Kingdom of Pontus built this fortress on the Black Sea coast as a strategic watchtower during its period of regional control. The structure was later modified and expanded by successive rulers to adapt its defensive function to changing threats.
The wooden Kademoğlu Mansion was built within the inner fortress during the 18th century and displays traditional Ottoman architectural elements with two large bay windows. This structure offers visitors a direct look at how people lived and organized their domestic spaces during that era.
The site is best explored on foot, since narrow pathways between structures require a slow pace for proper viewing. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes, as the walkways on the rocky peninsula are uneven.
Within the castle grounds sits a basilica-shaped chapel that is deeply woven into the defensive architecture of this coastal fortification. This religious structure demonstrates how defense and spirituality worked together in the design of medieval fortifications.
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