Babayaka Castle

Babayaka Castle, locally known as Babayaka Kalesi, lies on a hill east of the village of the same name, in the province of Balıkesir in Turkey.

According to legend, when Alexander the Great passed through the region in the 4th century BC, he had his army camp on the Gönen Plain. However, because his men got sick from the mosquitoes, he had 2 castles built on higher ground; Babayaka and Alacaoluk.

I wasn't able to find out any real historical information about Babayaka. If you know something; please mail me.

While Alacaoluk Castle is indeed higher up in the mountains, Babayaka Castle is situated on a low hill. The ruins I encountered however are most probably Byzantine in origin. And although these ruins are called a castle, I suspect that these are more likely to be the ruins of a church or something alike. Perhaps this was the castle chapel?

At present Babayaka Castle can freely be visited. A not very interesting ruin, showing little architectural detail.

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