Mamure Castle
Encyclopedia
Mamure Castle is a medieval castle in the Anamur
district of Mersin Province
, Turkey
.
side at about 36°04′50"N 32°53′40"E. It is on the D400 highway, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) east of Anamur and 216 kilometres (134.2 mi) west of Mersin
.
in the forth century, undoubtedly against pirates. It was later on repaired by the Byzantine Empire
and the Crusades
. When Alaattin Keykubat I of Seljuk Turks captured the ruins of the castle in 1221, he built a larger castle partially using the foundation of the former castle. It was later on incorporated into the realm of Karamanids (A Turkish
state in Anatolia
in the Medieval ages.) Although the exact date is uncertain, according to an inscription erected by İbrahim II of Karaman
in 1450, the castle was captured during Mahmut's reign (1300–1308). The castle was renamed as Mamure (prosperous) after repaired by Mahmut. In 1475, the castle was annexed by the Ottoman Empire
. During Ottoman reign, the castle was repaired in the 15th, 16th and 18th centuries and a part of the castle was used as a cervansarai.
and the ruins of a hamam (Turkish bath) . In the yard at the south there are ruins of a light house
.
Anamur
Anamur is a town and district of the province of Mersin, on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey, between Antalya and the city of Mersin.Anamur is Turkey's southernmost point, a coastal resort famous for its bananas and peanuts.-Etymology:...
district of Mersin Province
Mersin Province
The Mersin Province is a province in southern Turkey, on the Mediterranean coast between Antalya and Adana. The provincial capital is the city of Mersin and the other major town is Tarsus, birthplace of St Paul...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Geography
The castle is at the Mediterranean SeaMediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
side at about 36°04′50"N 32°53′40"E. It is on the D400 highway, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) east of Anamur and 216 kilometres (134.2 mi) west of Mersin
Mersin
-Mersin today:Today, Mersin is a large city spreading out along the coast, with Turkey's second tallest skyscraper , huge hotels, an opera house, expensive real estate near the sea or up in the hills, and many other modern urban...
.
History
The castle was built on the foundation of an ancient castle built by the Roman EmpireRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
in the forth century, undoubtedly against pirates. It was later on repaired by the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
and the Crusades
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
. When Alaattin Keykubat I of Seljuk Turks captured the ruins of the castle in 1221, he built a larger castle partially using the foundation of the former castle. It was later on incorporated into the realm of Karamanids (A Turkish
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
state in Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
in the Medieval ages.) Although the exact date is uncertain, according to an inscription erected by İbrahim II of Karaman
İbrahim II of Karaman
-Background:During the post-Seljuks era in the second half of the middle ages, numerous Turkmen principalities which are collectively known as Anatolian beyliks emerged in Anatolia. Initially Karamanids centered around the modern provinces of Karaman and Konya, was the most important power in...
in 1450, the castle was captured during Mahmut's reign (1300–1308). The castle was renamed as Mamure (prosperous) after repaired by Mahmut. In 1475, the castle was annexed by the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. During Ottoman reign, the castle was repaired in the 15th, 16th and 18th centuries and a part of the castle was used as a cervansarai.
Architecture
The 23500 square metres (28,105.8 sq yd) castle is surrounded by moat. The road on the rampart connects the 39 towers or bastions to each other . There are 3 main yards within the castle; west, east and the south. In the yard at the west there is a small complex of a single minaret mosqueMosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
and the ruins of a hamam (Turkish bath) . In the yard at the south there are ruins of a light house
Light House
The Light House is currently under construction and will be located on the new harbour front district in Aarhus, Denmark. It is expected to be completed by 2012. The Light House will be 142 metres tall making it the tallest building in Denmark....
.