Şile Castle, Medieval castle on Ocakli Island, Şile, Turkey
Şile Castle is a stone fortress built on a small rocky islet at the entrance of Şile harbor, a coastal town in Istanbul province. It rises directly from the water, with thick walls and several floors that were originally designed for defense and the storage of supplies.
The fortress was first built by Genoese merchants who controlled trade routes along the Black Sea coast. In 1396, Ottoman forces under Sultan Bayezid I captured it, and the structure was gradually modified over the following centuries.
The fortress sits on a small rocky outcrop just off the fishing harbor, making it visible from the shore at almost any angle. Visitors standing on the upper levels look straight out to the Black Sea, much as the guards who were posted there once did.
Access to the islet depends on the water level, so it is worth checking conditions before you go, since you may be able to walk or need a short boat ride. The interior has been renovated and the different levels can be explored without much difficulty.
Although the structure is commonly associated with the Genoese, some of the stonework in the walls suggests there was an earlier Byzantine structure on the same spot. These older elements are visible as you move through the lower sections of the building.
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