Meydancık Castle

Coordinates: 36°17′03″N 33°25′47″E / 36.28417°N 33.42972°E / 36.28417; 33.42972
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Meydancık Castle
Luwian
People)
DemolishedMost of it
Coins from Meydancık Castle in Silifke Museum

Meydancık Castle (Turkish: Meydancık Kale) is a castle ruin in Mersin Province, Turkey. The original name was Kirshu and the name of the ruin during Ottoman times was Beydili Kale.

Geography

The castle is located at 37°17′03″N 33°25′47″E / 37.28417°N 33.42972°E / 37.28417; 33.42972, south of Gülnar. It is on a 700-metre (2,300 ft) hill at the west of the road between Gülnar and Aydıncık. Visitors can reach the castle either from Gülnar by an 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) road or from Aydıncık by a 35 kilometres (22 mi) road. From Mersin the total distance (via Gülnar) is about 165 kilometres (103 mi).

History

After the collapse of the

Alexander III of Macedon, Kirshu was incorporated within the realm of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt[3] and later that of the Seleucid Empire
.

The fortification

The plan of the fortification is roughly rectangular, with the longer dimension oriented along a north–south axis. The total area is 750 x 150 m2 (2460 x 490 ft2) In the fortification the military units were at the north side of the hill and the only entrance to the castle was via the gate at the northeast corner. The palace was in the middle. A public treasure consisting of 5215 coins from various

Hellenistic states has been unearthed in the palace. These coins are now exhibited in Silifke Museum. Another important find was a stamp of Muwatalli II,[4] which was surprising because Hittites
inhabited the area long before the establishment of Pirundu. At the southern end, there is a wide wellhole, the function of which is debatable. It might either be a cistern or an altar or may even be a secret passage. At the present, excavations down to 23 metres (75 ft) give no clue.

References

  1. ^ "KELENDERİS, A PORT BETWEEN ASIA MINOR AND CYPRUS". www.emu.edu.tr. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  2. OCLC 805652523. Archived
    from the original on June 4, 2014.
  3. ^ Gülnar Meydancıkkale page (in Turkish)
  4. ^ Ministry of Culture and Tourism Mersin(in Turkish)
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