Kız kalesi (“Woman’s fortess”) near Mardin

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The Kız kalesi (“Woman’s fortess”) is an ancient fortess located on the top of the hill in about 5 km from the center of Mardin near Eskikale village. The history of this interesting sight is not known. It is hard to find any information about this place and tourist’s guide books are silent about it.

You can visit the Kız kalesi before Deyrulzaafaran Monastery or Dara Antique city. But you shold know that there is no road to the top of the hill where the fortess was built. So you need to climb up the loose slope.

One local legend says that a long time ago there was a palace on the top of the hill belonged to the daughter of the king. But as you can see at the photos below riuns of the Kız kalesi don’t look like vestiges of a palace.

I heard another version that this fortess was build by the ancient Romans and it was a part of the defensive line of the Roman Empire.

Photos of the Kız kalesi with comments

Kız kalesi
Kız kalesi is located on the top of this hill.
Kız kalesi
Panorama of Eskikale vıllage.
Kız kalesi
Dead almond tree on the hillside.
Kız kalesi
Small cave, probably artificial.
Kız kalesi
Modern rock carvings.
Kız kalesi
The rocks at the top of the hill represent a natural fortification.
Kız kalesi
Remains of ancient buildings which belong to Kız kalesi. Probably it was water tank.
Kız kalesi
Walls of this water tank where built of big stone blocks. Even now that blocks are fitted with pin-point accuracy.
Kız kalesi
Panorama of Mesopotamia planes from the top of the hill.
Kız kalesi
Another view of the first water tank.
Kız kalesi
South-eastern edge of the fortress.
Kız kalesi
Strange hollows in the rock.
Kız kalesi
Second water tank.
Kız kalesi
Better view of the second water tank.
Kız kalesi
This place is still waiting for its researcher.
Kız kalesi
A strange “room” carved into the rock.
Kız kalesi
What was that?
Kız kalesi
The western edge of the fortress.
Kız kalesi
Well.
Kız kalesi
The edge of the rock is piled up to make it like a wall of fortress.
Kız kalesi
The door to the small dungeon. There is nothing intresting inside.
Kız kalesi
Steps leading to the upper level.
Kız kalesi
An artificial hole in the rock carved for easy climbing.
Kız kalesi
View of the old part of Mardin from the top of the hill.
Kız kalesi
Strange big stone blocks at the territory of Kız kalesi. Them don’t look simply like ruins of building.
Kız kalesi
View towards Syria. Strange stones and probably a tower stripped from the rock.
Kız kalesi
Another photo of the first water tank.
Kız kalesi
Maybe it was an object like “Flag-tower”?

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