Mut Castle

Mut Castle, locally known as Mut Kalesi, lies on a hill in the center of the city of the same name, in the province of Mersin in Turkey.

When Mut Castle was built is unknown. The area around the hill however, is thought to have been the site of the ancient Roman city of Claudiopolis in the 1st/2nd century AD. A castle at this site was certainly used by the Byzantines.

In 1228 the Karamanid ruler Yakup Bey laid siege to the Byzantine castle but failed to take it. Apparently his losses were extremely high so the Karamanids called the castle "Dar-ül Mevt", meaning "the Dead House". Later the word "mevt" changed to "mut". The Karamanids returned later that century and this time managed to take the castle during which it was completely destroyed. They subsequently rebuilt it.

The Ottoman Empire took possession of Mut Castle in 1473. It was restored during the reign of the Ottoman Sultan Ahmed I (1603-1617).

The castle has an irregular ground plan with a lower and an upper castle. Within the walls of the upper castle stands a round lookout tower of 2 floors.

Mut Castle is freely accessible. The upper castle is used as a public park, the grounds of the lower castle contain a school and a restaurant. A nice castle.

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