Karaman Castle

Karaman Castle

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

Exactly when Karaman Castle was founded is unknown. It is thought to have been first built by the Byzantine Empire in the late 11th or early 12th century. The city however is much older and was already known by the Hittites as Lānda. So there may have been an older predecessor of the castle.

In the 2nd part of the 12th century, it was conquered by the Seljuks, during the rule of Kilij Arslan II. The castle was held for some time by the crusaders of the Third Crusade, led by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, in 1190. After they left, it reverted into Seljuk hands.

Between 1211 and 1216 it was occupied by the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. A Turkic chief; Kerîmeddin Karaman Bey, took the town and castle, then still called Laranda, from the Seljuks in 1256. The town was then renamed Karaman, in his honour. Subsequently, the town became the capital of the beylik (a Turkic principality) of the Karamanids. The castle was rebuilt and became the residence of the Karamanid rulers. The Karamanids ruled over their beylik until around 1465 when they were conquered by the Ottomans.

When Karaman Castle fell into Ottoman hands, it was in a ruinous state. The Ottoman governor Gedik Ahmed Pasha then had several buildings in the town demolished and used their stones to rebuild the castle. That is why today one can see various Islamic spolia used in the castle walls.

During the Seljuk rule the castle, situated on a mound in the center of the town, had been equipped with 2 sets of concentric walls, enclosing the town. When the Ottoman explorer Evliya Çelebi visited Karaman in the 17th century, he stated that the inner walls had 40 towers and 2 gates. The outer walls had 140 (!) towers and 9 gates. Of the outer walls, nothing remains today. From the inner walls, a long stretch on the south side of the castle mound remains, with one gate.

During the 20th century the castle was restored a couple of times and the last decade again. The entire mound is now a public park and freely accessible.

When I visited, Karaman Castle was not accessible. I don't know if it is ever open for visits. Too bad, I was very curious about its interior. A very nice castle.

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Karaman Castle

Karaman Castle

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

Exactly when Karaman Castle was founded is unknown. It is thought to have been first built by the Byzantine Empire in the late 11th or early 12th century. The city however is much older and was already known by the Hittites as Lānda. So there may have been an older predecessor of the castle.

In the 2nd part of the 12th century, it was conquered by the Seljuks, during the rule of Kilij Arslan II. The castle was held for some time by the crusaders of the Third Crusade, led by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, in 1190. After they left, it reverted into Seljuk hands.

Between 1211 and 1216 it was occupied by the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. A Turkic chief; Kerîmeddin Karaman Bey, took the town and castle, then still called Laranda, from the Seljuks in 1256. The town was then renamed Karaman, in his honour. Subsequently, the town became the capital of the beylik (a Turkic principality) of the Karamanids. The castle was rebuilt and became the residence of the Karamanid rulers. The Karamanids ruled over their beylik until around 1465 when they were conquered by the Ottomans.

When Karaman Castle fell into Ottoman hands, it was in a ruinous state. The Ottoman governor Gedik Ahmed Pasha then had several buildings in the town demolished and used their stones to rebuild the castle. That is why today one can see various Islamic spolia used in the castle walls.

During the Seljuk rule the castle, situated on a mound in the center of the town, had been equipped with 2 sets of concentric walls, enclosing the town. When the Ottoman explorer Evliya Çelebi visited Karaman in the 17th century, he stated that the inner walls had 40 towers and 2 gates. The outer walls had 140 (!) towers and 9 gates. Of the outer walls, nothing remains today. From the inner walls, a long stretch on the south side of the castle mound remains, with one gate.

During the 20th century the castle was restored a couple of times and the last decade again. The entire mound is now a public park and freely accessible.

When I visited, Karaman Castle was not accessible. I don't know if it is ever open for visits. Too bad, I was very curious about its interior. A very nice castle.

Gallery

Details
Hits: 389