Şile Castle

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Şile Castle, Medieval castle on Ocakli Island, Şile, Turkey

The white limestone fortress rises 12 meters above sea level on a small island at the entrance of Şile harbor in Istanbul province.

The castle changed hands from Genoese control to Ottoman rule in 1396 when Sultan Bayezid I's army conquered the strategic coastal fortification.

The four-story defensive structure served as a watchtower for centuries, with its ground floor used as storage and upper levels housing up to 20 soldiers.

Following extensive renovation works in 2015 by Şile Municipality and Kocaeli University's Faculty of Architecture, visitors can access the castle during daytime hours.

The castle occupies 100 square meters of space and underwent two major restorations throughout its history, first by Byzantine and later by Ottoman builders.

Location: Şile

GPS coordinates: 41.18144,29.60912

Latest update: May 11, 2025 07:30

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