Yilan Kalesi Fortress Yilan Fortress; Yilani Kalesi; Lewoni Berd; Shah Meran Kale; Snake Fortress; Castle of the Snakes Unknown Fortresses Castles Forts Towers The castle was built in the 11th or 12th century A.D. high above the Pyramus River over looking the plain of Adana. It was a key stronghold for the Armenian rulers who controlled this area and was also used by the crusaders. It is believed the main reason behind building the castle at the present location was to control the route which was part of the ancient “silk road.” This has been a major and important route of travel for thousands of years. The highway was also used by Alexander the Great on his way to India from Macedonia. There are towers on each side of the gatehouse and the third faces the entrance. This tower has a carving of a lion. The castle contains a cistern, storerooms, a chapel and many more inner rooms. In addition to the main gate, the castle has several inner gates. It has 8 round towers and Regular Army door in the southern part of the castle; there also a church. The former name of this castle Gavara. Images Digital Tiff; Jpeg2000 A-4078 Parsegian, V.L.. Armenian Architecture (Zug, Switzerland; IDC, 1980) Armenian Ceyhan, Adana Province, Akdeniz kıyısı Regio, Turkey 11th-12th centuries CE Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY; Armenian Educational Council
Yilan Kalesi Fortress
Yilan Fortress; Yilani Kalesi; Lewoni Berd; Shah Meran Kale; Snake Fortress; Castle of the Snakes
Unknown
Fortresses
Castles
Forts
Towers
The castle was built in the 11th or 12th century A.D. high above the Pyramus River over looking the plain of Adana. It was a key stronghold for the Armenian rulers who controlled this area and was also used by the crusaders. It is believed the main reason behind building the castle at the present location was to control the route which was part of the ancient “silk road.” This has been a major and important route of travel for thousands of years. The highway was also used by Alexander the Great on his way to India from Macedonia. There are towers on each side of the gatehouse and the third faces the entrance. This tower has a carving of a lion. The castle contains a cistern, storerooms, a chapel and many more inner rooms. In addition to the main gate, the castle has several inner gates. It has 8 round towers and Regular Army door in the southern part of the castle; there also a church. The former name of this castle Gavara.
Images
Digital
Tiff; Jpeg2000
A-4078
Parsegian, V.L.. Armenian Architecture (Zug, Switzerland; IDC, 1980)
Armenian
Ceyhan, Adana Province, Akdeniz kıyısı Regio, Turkey
11th-12th centuries CE
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY; Armenian Educational Council