Çimpe Castle, Byzantine fortress in Gelibolu Peninsula, Turkey
Çimpe Castle is a Byzantine fortification on the Gelibolu Peninsula in Çanakkale Province, Turkey. The structure sits on a hill between the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean Sea, featuring thick walls and several towers built from cut stone blocks.
The Byzantines built the fortress in the 14th century to control the waterway between Europe and Asia. In 1352 Suleiman Pasha took over the site and used it as a bridgehead for Ottoman expansion into the Balkans.
The name comes from an old Turkish word for attack, showing how the site served as a launching point for military operations. Today visitors walk through the ruins and see how the design allowed for quick troop movements toward the mainland.
The site lies about 40 km (25 miles) south of Gelibolu along an unpaved road branching off from the main ridge. Sturdy footwear is important because the stones can be slippery and many sections remain unfenced.
A single well inside the ruins still shows the original stone rings lining the shaft. Archaeologists believe the water led through an underground channel to the sea, creating an escape route during sieges.
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