Heciz Castle

Heciz Castle, locally known as Heciz Kalesi, lies east of the hamlet of Kalealtı, in the province of Istanbul in Turkey.

I could not find any historical information about the castle, other than that it was built by the Byzantines. It probably served to control the road between Constantinople and Şile. If you know anything, please mail me.

The castle has a triangular plan and is situated on a hill, in a bend of the stream running through the valley below. The site is very wooded and overgrown, so it is hard to get a good sense of its layout. There are remains of 3 towers, sometimes with connecting wall parts, still standing. At present there are 2 entrances; one in the south, next to the big ruined tower, which seems to be the original one. There is another in the west wall, but that looks like it is more modern. In its interior I could not find any other remains.

Heciz Castle is freely accessible. Not a very interesting site. Take care when visiting because of the wild turtles walking around.

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