Akkale | |
 Spiral staircase in Akkale | |
  Shown within Turkey | |
| Alternative name | (Tırtar Akkele) |
|---|---|
| Location | Erdemli, Mersin Province, Turkey |
| Region | Cilicia Trachea |
| Coordinates | 36°22′N34°13′E / 36.367°N 34.217°E |
| Type | Palace (?) |
| Site notes | |
| Archaeologists | Semavi Eyice and Dr. Robert W. Edwards |
| Condition | In ruins |
Akkale (literally "white castle") is the popular name given to ruins of a building complex in Kumkuyu town of Erdemli district, Mersin Province, Turkey
Akkale (also called Tırtar Akkale where Tırtar is the former name of Kumkuyu) is situated to south west of Kumkuyu. Its distance to Erdemli is 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) and to Mersin is 51 kilometres (32 mi). The buildings are accessible by a short lane from the Turkish state highway D.400. The distance to Mediterranean Sea coast is about 250 metres (820 ft).
The original name of the site is not known. But it was a port administration complex of the Roman Empire built in the 4th century. [1] However, according to Turkish archaeologist Semavi Eyice the main building may be the palace of Archelaus of Cappadocia who lived in the first century and was known to spend summers in Cilicia. [2] A part of the buildings were repaired during the Byzantine era probably after the great earthquakes of the 6th century.
Although the popular name Akkale means "White castle", the complex was not a castle, but a small, wealthy settlement. It consists of the ruins of the main building, which was once five stories in height, a large cistern, and numerous other constructions. The five-story building is traditionally called a palace (Turkish : Akkale sarayı), for it may have been used both as the office and the lodging building of the governor. The corbels which are on all sides of the building indicate the existence of a now completely demolished balcony which circumscribed the building. The main staircase of the building was a spiral staircase. A small building is assumed to be the treasury office where documents may have been kept in the basement. The cistern is one of the biggest cisterns in Cilicia with over 17,000 cubic metres (600,000 cu ft). It was used to sell water to ships. [3]
Within this complex is a free-standing rectangular structure which has one of the region’s few extant domes on pendentives and was thought to be a church. However, in 1989 an archaeological study was published with a plan, which describes the site as a mausoleum. [4] This cruciform building was constructed with beautifully cuts blocks of limestone masonry. [5]
Elaiussa Sebaste or Elaeousa Sebaste was an ancient Roman town located 55 km (34 mi) from Mersin in the direction of Silifke in Cilicia on the southern coast of Anatolia.
Limonlu is a neighbourhood in the municipality and district of Erdemli, Mersin Province, Turkey. Its population is 2,939 (2022). Before the 2013 reorganisation, it was a town (belde).
Kanlıdivane is an ancient city situated around a big sinkhole in Mersin Province, Turkey.
Meydancık Castle is a castle ruin in Mersin Province, Turkey. The original name was Kirshu and the name of the ruin during Ottoman times was Beydili Kale.
The Üçayaklı ruins are a Byzantine-era archaeological site in Mersin Province, Turkey.
Tapureli ruins are in Mersin Province, Turkey.
Tokmar Castle is a castle ruin in Mersin Province, Turkey
Lamas Aqueduct is a Roman aqueduct in Mersin Province, Turkey
Aphrodisias, sometimes called Aphrodisias of Cilicia to distinguish it from the town of the same name in Caria, was a port city of ancient Cilicia whose ruins now lie near Cape Tisan in Mersin Province, Turkey.
Çandır Castle the medieval Armenian site of Paperon, is a fortification in Mersin Province, Turkey.
Kızkalesi is an island castle situated on a small island in Mersin Province of Turkey.
Emirzeli (İmirzeli) is a group of ruins in Mersin Province, Turkey.
Hançerkale is the popular name given to a Byzantine observation tower ruin in Mersin Province, Turkey.
Öküzlü is an archaeological site in Mersin Province, Turkey.
Yanıkhan is an archaeological site in Mersin Province, Turkey. It is about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) northwest of Limonlu town. It is to the east of Limonlu-Esenpınar road and west of Limonlu River at about 36°35′N34°12′E. Its distance to Erdemli is 18 kilometres (11 mi) and to Mersin is 54 kilometres (34 mi).
Karakabaklı is an archaeological site in Mersin Province, Turkey.
Cambazlı is an archaeological site in Mersin Province, Turkey
Meydankale is the archaeological site of a ruined castle in Mersin Province, Turkey.
Çatıören is an archaeological site in Mersin Province, Turkey.
Kuzucubelen Castle is a castle ruin in Mersin Province, Turkey.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)