Azgıt Castle

Azgıt Castle, locally known as Azgıt Kale, is located near the village of Yeniköy in the province of Kahramanmaraş in Turkey.

The castle is situated in Cilicia, a region that was part of an Armenian kingdom from the late 11th century to the late 14th century. Like most fortifications in this area, neither its medieval name nor its history is known.

Azgıt Castle probably has early origins, possibly from the Roman or early Byzantine period, with later rebuilding phases when it was surely reused and modified in the Armenian period.

The castle stands on a rugged limestone outcrop in a broad mountain valley. Below its eastern walls lay an important route linking the Cilician plain in the south to Göksun and the Cappadocian highlands in the north, which it probably meant to control. This route is locally known as “Battal’s passage,” a name associated with the legendary Umayyad warrior Battal Gazi, a figure from early Islamic frontier warfare in the 8th century, from Melitine (modern Malatya).

Today, it survives as a sizeable ruin with a layout that follows the shape of the outcrop, giving it a rough kidney-like shape. Aside from the northern section, most of the defensive circuit remains standing. It had three gates: a main one on the western end and two posterns. The postern in the northwest has a lintel featuring a nicely carved circular cross motif.

Today, Azgıt Castle can be freely visited. A track leads towards the base of the hill, followed by a short climb to the ruins. I enjoyed my visit very much, while being accompanied by a wild but friendly dog.

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