Mancınık Castle

Mancınık Castle
Mersin Province, Turkey
Site information
TypeFortress
Open to the public
Yes
ConditionPartially standing.
Location
Mancınık Castle is located in Turkey
Mancınık Castle
Mancınık Castle
Location within Turkey
Coordinates36°31′N 34°04′E / 36.517°N 34.067°E / 36.517; 34.067
Site history
Built byHellenistic age
DemolishedMost of it

Mancınık Castle (Turkish: Mancınık Kale) is a Hellenistic castle ruin in Mersin Province, Turkey. Its original name is unknown.

Geography

The castle is situated in Silifke district of Mersin Province, at 36°31′N 34°03′E / 36.517°N 34.050°E / 36.517; 34.050, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) bird's flight to Mediterranean Sea. Visitors to the site follow the road from Narlıkuyu and Cennet to north . The last 500 metres (1,600 ft) of the course which detaches from the road to east is actually a rough path. The castle is situated on the clift which overviews the Şeytanderesi canyon to the east. Adamkayalar (which is historically unrelated to the castle) is situated 7 km southeast in the east wall of the canyon.

History

The first archaeological research of the site has been carried out by Levent Zoroğlu in 1987.[1] The walls are made of polygonal shaped stones, a characteristics of Hellenistic architecture. Also there are few inscriptions. Although these are mostly erased a few words could be read. Hellenistic origin is also confirmed by a decrypted word oikodomos.

References