Gökvelioğlu Castle

Gökvelioğlu Castle, locally known as Kizlar Kalesi or Güveloglu Kalesi, lies on a small mountain above the village of Güveloglu in the province of Adana in Turkey.

The medieval name of Gökvelioğlu Castle is unknown, and consequently its history is unknown. Some sources speculate that this was a castle named Vaner, which the Leo I, king of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, granted to the Knights of St. John in 1214. But medieval texts don't give a location of this castle.

Others tend to believe this was the Arab fortification of Al-Muttaqqab from the mid-9th century. Medieval descriptions of its location do fit that of Gökvelioğlu Castle, but there is no architectural evidence to support this.

Architectural evidence does show that Gökvelioğlu Castle was built as a garrison fort by the Byzantines. It guarded the strategic road between Ayas and Misis.

Later the castle was occupied en rebuilt by the Armenians.

The castle consists of 2 enclosures; the southern enclosure lies 60 meters below the level of the northern enclosure. The southern enclosure consists of some curtain walls and a lookout tower. There are no buildings in this enclosure. The northern enclosure consists of some curtain wall, a gate building and a couple of cisterns.

Gökvelioğlu Castle is freely accessible, although the nearest road is at the foot of the mountain and there is no distinguishable path to the castle. Also, the mountain is quite steep at some points, so ascent can be risky.

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