Pasinler Castle

Pasinler Castle
Gatehouse
LocationPasinler, Turkey
Coordinates39°58′44″N 41°40′53″E / 39.97896°N 41.68138°E / 39.97896; 41.68138
Elevation1740 meters
BuiltIron Age
Rebuilt16th century

Pasinler Castle, sometimes referred to as Hasan Castle,[1] is a ruined fortification in Pasinler, Turkey. The historical name for the town of Pasinler, Hasankale (lit. 'Castle of Hasan'), is derived from the castle.[2] The site has been used as a fortification since the Iron Age.

History

The site features inscriptions and stonework from the reign of Minua.[3] During the Urartian period, the site was one of the most notable fortresses in northeastern Urartu, and it would have helped Urartian kings secure valuable resources in the region.[4] Later occupants of the fortress included the Byzantines,[1] Armenians, and White Sheep Turkomans.[5] Uzun Hasan, a 15th century Turkoman chief and possible etymological source of Hasankale, contributed to the fortification of the town and castle.[1][6] In the 16th century, the Ottomans rebuilt the castle, and it remained in use until after the Russo-Turkish War (1828–1829).[6] The site is a ruin in the modern period.

Description

The castle sits on a large rocky hill at an elevation of 1740 meters and overlooks the town of Pasinler and the surrounding plain.[7] There are three sets of walls, the outer two terminating at the steep rock face without forming complete circuits. A gatehouse lies on the western portion.[6] The site also includes a water tunnel that travels through the rock to the Pasinler Stream below.[7][3]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Tourist's guide, Turkey. Ankara: Tourist Dept. of the Ministry of Press, Broadcasting and Tourism. 1963. p. 87. OCLC 1121455688.
  2. ^ Everett-Heath, John (2017). The Concise Dictionary of World Place Names. OUP Oxford. ISBN 9780192556462.
  3. ^ a b Darbyshire, Gareth, ed. (2005). Anatolian Iron Ages 5. British Institute at Ankara. p. 25. ISBN 9781912090570.
  4. ^ GÜNAŞDI, Yavuz; KÜÇÜKYILDIZ, İshak (2023). "ERKEN DEMİR ÇAĞ'DA PASİN OVASI'NDA ÖNEMLİ BİR DİAUEHİ ÜLKESİ: BALTULHİ". Kafkas Ünivesitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi (in Turkish and English) (32): 779–814. ISSN 2149-0643. Among these castles, Pasinler Castle stands out as one of the most significant, believed to have been built by King Minua himself, according to the inscriptions. Minua constructed castles to secure the mineral-rich Diauehi and Aras Valley road...
  5. ^ Darke, Diana (2014). Eastern Turkey. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 374. ISBN 9781841624907.
  6. ^ a b c Sinclair, T. A. (1989). Eastern Turkey: An Architectural and Archaeological Survey, Volume II. Pindar Press. pp. 228–230. ISBN 9781904597735.
  7. ^ a b Ceylan, Nezahat (2023). "Erzurum ve Erzincan Çevresindeki Urartu Dönemi Kaya Basamaklı Su Tünelleri II". Selçuk Universitesi Fen-Edebiyat Fakultesi edebiyat dergisi (in Turkish and English) (50): 243–268. ISSN 1300-4921.
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