Çeşme Castle

Çeşme Castle
İzmir Province, Turkey
Çeşme Castle from the west
Çeşme Castle
Coordinates	38.3236°N 26.3036°E / 38.3236; 26.3036
Type	Fortress
Site information
Open to the public	Yes
Condition	Main room still standing.
Site history
Built by	Ottoman Empire
Demolished	Mostly standing
Battles/wars	Çeşme Battle

Çeşme Castle is a historic castle in Çeşme, Turkey.

Location

The castle is located in Çeşme ilçe (district) of İzmir Province at 38°19′25″N 26°18′13″E. Its distance to İzmir is 35 kilometres (22 mi).^[1] Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Paşa Monument is in front of the castle and Çeşme Museum is a situated in the castle.^[2]

History

During the Growth of the Ottoman Empire, Çeşme was attacked twice by the Venetians in 1472 and in 1501.^[3] The castle was built as a precaution against further attacks. It was built in 1508 during the reign of the Ottoman sultan Bayezit II. Its commissioner was Mir Haydar, the governor of Aidin Vilayet.^[4] It was originally a seaside castle but because of the alluvial deposits it is now slightly inland. The castle became a Tentative World Heritage Site in 2020.^[5]

Castle and the activities

Çeşme Castle from the north

The rectangular plan castle has moats on three sides six bastions. It is used as a festival center. Both Çeşme International Music festival and Çeşme festival are held in the castle.^[2]

References

1. Distance list (in Turkish)
2. Ministry of Culture Çaşme branch
3. Suvyapı page (in Turkish)
4. Turkish info (in Turkish)
5. "Trading Posts and Fortifications on Genoese Trade Routes from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea". UNESCO. Retrieved 17 April 2020.