Kayseri Castle

Kayseri Castle

Kayseri Castle, locally known as Kayseri Kalesi, lies in the city of the same name, in the province of Kayseri in Turkey.

The walled city of Kayseri was first mentioned in the 4th century A.D. The city was then known by the name of Ceasarea. Its walls encompassed a vast area, so, to improve its defensibility, the Byzantine emperor Justinian I contracted these city walls and had the castle built in a corner of the city walls in the 2nd quarter of the 6th century.

Ceasarea was temporarily taken from the Byzantines in 647 by invading Arabs under Mu'awiya I, who would later become the 1st Umayyad caliph. The city was finally lost by the Byzantine Empire when it was taken by the Seljuk sultan Alp Arslan in 1067. His forces massacred its population and demolished the city, so that as a result it remained uninhabited for the next half century.

In 1074 the area came under the control of the Danishmends who rebuilt the city in 1134. It passed to the Seljuks in 1178, until 1243 when it was temporarily taken by the invading Mongols. After the Mongols left, the Seljuks rebuilt the city. In 1515, it finally came into Ottoman hands.

During Ottoman reign, Kayseri Castle lost its strategic importance, so that in the middle of the 18th century the interior of the castle became a residential neighborhood.

For some reason, the residences were all demolished in 1925, leaving only a 15th century mosque and some other historical buildings. The interior then lay vacant for a couple of years, during which the historical buildings also disappeared.

In 1930 the interior of the castle became a shabby marketplace filled with slums and booths, erected without any planning. This situation continued until the 1970s, when it was decided that the castle should become a museum. So, again, the interior of the castle was cleared, this time with heavy machinery.

After the 1980 military coup, however, the museum plans were stopped due to economic reasons. Instead, it was given over to a goldsmiths association to turn it into a gold bazaar. So, again, the interior of the castle was re-covered with cheap buildings. Unqualified construction continued until 2013, when, again, the interior of the castle was cleared to definitively turn the castle into a museum.

In preparation of the museum construction, archaeological excavations were carried out, but showed that the consecutive clearings had not left anything of historical value. The castle walls were then restored and the new Kayseri Archeological Museum opened in 2019. It is now also used for cultural events.

The appearance of the present castle mainly dates back to the time of Kayqubad I, the Seljuk Sultan of Rûm, who ruled between 1220 and 1237.

Kayseri Castle is freely accessible during daytime. A mighty castle, even though besides its walls, there isn't much to see inside. The museum is also worth a visit. Parts of the city wall, west and southeast of the castle, are also still standing.

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Kayseri Castle

Kayseri Castle

Kayseri Castle, locally known as Kayseri Kalesi, lies in the city of the same name, in the province of Kayseri in Turkey.

The walled city of Kayseri was first mentioned in the 4th century A.D. The city was then known by the name of Ceasarea. Its walls encompassed a vast area, so, to improve its defensibility, the Byzantine emperor Justinian I contracted these city walls and had the castle built in a corner of the city walls in the 2nd quarter of the 6th century.

Ceasarea was temporarily taken from the Byzantines in 647 by invading Arabs under Mu'awiya I, who would later become the 1st Umayyad caliph. The city was finally lost by the Byzantine Empire when it was taken by the Seljuk sultan Alp Arslan in 1067. His forces massacred its population and demolished the city, so that as a result it remained uninhabited for the next half century.

In 1074 the area came under the control of the Danishmends who rebuilt the city in 1134. It passed to the Seljuks in 1178, until 1243 when it was temporarily taken by the invading Mongols. After the Mongols left, the Seljuks rebuilt the city. In 1515, it finally came into Ottoman hands.

During Ottoman reign, Kayseri Castle lost its strategic importance, so that in the middle of the 18th century the interior of the castle became a residential neighborhood.

For some reason, the residences were all demolished in 1925, leaving only a 15th century mosque and some other historical buildings. The interior then lay vacant for a couple of years, during which the historical buildings also disappeared.

In 1930 the interior of the castle became a shabby marketplace filled with slums and booths, erected without any planning. This situation continued until the 1970s, when it was decided that the castle should become a museum. So, again, the interior of the castle was cleared, this time with heavy machinery.

After the 1980 military coup, however, the museum plans were stopped due to economic reasons. Instead, it was given over to a goldsmiths association to turn it into a gold bazaar. So, again, the interior of the castle was re-covered with cheap buildings. Unqualified construction continued until 2013, when, again, the interior of the castle was cleared to definitively turn the castle into a museum.

In preparation of the museum construction, archaeological excavations were carried out, but showed that the consecutive clearings had not left anything of historical value. The castle walls were then restored and the new Kayseri Archeological Museum opened in 2019. It is now also used for cultural events.

The appearance of the present castle mainly dates back to the time of Kayqubad I, the Seljuk Sultan of Rûm, who ruled between 1220 and 1237.

Kayseri Castle is freely accessible during daytime. A mighty castle, even though besides its walls, there isn't much to see inside. The museum is also worth a visit. Parts of the city wall, west and southeast of the castle, are also still standing.

Gallery

Details
Hits: 101