Gaziantep Kalesi, Castle in Gaziantep, Turkey
Gaziantep Kalesi is an ancient castle built on a hill in the center of Gaziantep, in southern Turkey. Its stone walls run for about 1,300 feet (400 meters) on each side, with 36 towers placed along the perimeter and a deep trench surrounding the base.
The site was first used in Hittite times, and a Roman-era watchtower stood here before the Byzantine emperor Justinian ordered the construction of a full fortress. Mamluk and Ottoman rulers later repaired and expanded the structure, adding towers and new buildings inside the walls.
The castle sits at the center of daily life in Gaziantep, and many locals treat it as a familiar landmark rather than a tourist site. On quieter days, families gather near the walls to sit and look out over the city below.
The castle is easy to reach on foot from the city center, and information panels in Turkish and English help visitors find their way around the site. Morning and late afternoon visits are more comfortable, as most of the grounds are open to the sky and offer little shade.
The trench surrounding the base is about 30 feet (10 meters) deep and was originally crossed only by a drawbridge. In 1557, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent added two towers flanking the main gate, which still stand today and can be clearly seen by any visitor.
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