Babakale Castle

Babakale Castle, locally known as Babakale Kalesi or Baba Kale (kalesi and kale both meaning castle in Turkish), lies in the village of the same name, in the province of Çanakkale in Turkey.

Babakale Castle was built between 1723 and 1729 by Kaymak Mustafa Paşa, an Ottoman naval commander-in-chief, during the reign of Sultan Ahmet III. Together with the castle he also built a Turkish bath, a well, a mosque and shops. Legend has it that he built the castle on request of the villagers who wanted protection against pirate raids. Apparently it was built with the help of prisoners who were freed after the castle was completed.

The castle was built on Cape Baba, which is now the westernmost part of Anatolia, and was originally called Hirzulbahir Castle. On the cape stands a tomb of an Islamic saint; Emek Yemez Baba, which was there at least a century before the castle was built. The castle and village are known as Babakale since 1912 after that saint.

Babakale Castle has a rectangular ground plan with pentagonal towers at its corners. Once there were several buildings inside the castle walls. However, of these, only foundations remain in the present day. The main gate opens up to the village square, there is also a sally port opening up to the direction of the harbor. It was restored this century.

At present Babakale Castle can freely be visited. A nice small castle in a quiet out-of-the-way coastal village.

Gallery