| Amasya Castle | |
|---|---|
| Amasya, Turkey | |
 Amasya Castle | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Fortress |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Location | |
  Amasya Castle Location of Amasya Castle in Turkey | |
| Coordinates | 40°39′19″N35°49′36″E / 40.65528°N 35.82667°E /40.65528; 35.82667 |
Amasya Castle (Turkish:Amasya Kalesi),a.k.a.Harşene Castle, is afortress located inAmasya, northern Turkey.[1][2]
The castle is located north of Amasya and the riverYeşilırmak on the steep rocks ofMount Harşena.[2]
The castle was attacked, ruined, and changed hands many times over the course of thePersian,Roman,Pontic andByzantine eras, and was restored each time. The castle was severely ruined during the battles between the Romans and Pontics. It was substantially restored after the 1075 conquest of Amasya by theDanishmends, anOghuz Turk dynasty.[3] It remained in use until the 18th century when it lost its military importance.[2]
While fleeing the invading troops ofTimur in the first years of the 15th century,Ottoman then-şehzadeÇelebi Mehmed took refuge in Amasya Castle.[1]
The castle has four gates, namedHelkıs,Saray,Maydonos andMeydan. It includes dungeons, cisterns, wells and galleried monumental rock-tombs.[1][2]
The castle has eight-level defensive emplacements outside the castle down to the banks of Yeşilırmak River. The top-level fortification is constructed inashlar masonry while the defensive walls – two kilometres (1.2 mi) in length – are made ofrubble masonry.
A system of rock-carved cisterns and connecting tunnels is situated in the middle of the castle. Several steep stair-tunnels descend from exteriorportals on the fortress hillsides to reach the enclosed wells, cisterns, and tombs below. One cistern, the "Cilanbolu", is reached by a tunnel stairway that descends 186 metres (610 ft).[4] This tunnel's diameter is 8 m (26 ft) and it contains 150 steps leading downward. When built, the tunnel had a greater number: the steps at the tunnel's lower reaches have not survived.[5] The Cilanbolu Cistern itself is 300 metres (980 ft) long.[4]
Below the castle stand the ruins of a bastion and a mosque. On the southern hillside, there are ruins of theKızlar Sarayı (lit. 'Maidens' Palace'), used during theOttoman period.[1][2]
At about 20–25 m (66–82 ft) height, in a sheer rock face, there are 18 large and smalltombs of Pontic kings, dating to the 3rd century BC and carved into the limestone cliff.[1][2]
At about 800 m (2,600 ft) of the ancient fortress walls along the Yeşilırmak River, typical Amasya houses,hamams and mosques were built.[2]
