Osmancık Castle

Osmancık Castle, locally known as Osmancık Kalesi or Kandiber Kalesi, lies in the center of the town of the same name, in the province of Çorum in Turkey.

Who exactly built Osmancık Castle is unknown. Some architectural elements point to it being a Seljuk construction, while others point to its construction by the Byzantine Empire. Some even say it was founded by the Hittites. So, I think, it was mainly a Byzantine construction from medieval times, perhaps on the site of an older predecessor, which was later rebuilt by the Seljuks. The castle was on the Istanbul-Amasya trade route during the Islamic period. Nothing is known about is history.

The castle was built on an elongated rocky hill next to the Kızılırmak River. It now overlooks the Koyunbaba Bridge, a long stone arch bridge, built in the 1480s by the Ottoman Empire. There are said to be several tunnels descending from the castle down to the river. Up until the mid-19th century, there was a residential neighborhood within the castle walls.

Between 2015 and 2019 the castle remains were consolidated and partly restored and its interior became a public park.

Osmancık Castle is freely accessible during daytime. I liked the castle but mostly because of its location. Not many architectural details remain, sadly enough.

Gallery