Kilitbahir Castle

Fatih Sultan Mehmet had castles built on both sides of the Çaakkale as in the Bosphorus. One of these castles, usually built on the narrowest points of the Strait, is Çimenlik Castle, and the other is Kilitbahir Castle. The fact that both castles being opposit of each other gives a great advantage in terms of ball shots. Kilitbahir Castle was built in 1462. Just over a century later, it underwent a thorough repair process by Suleyman The Magnificent. During the restoration process, a new fortification wall is added that surrounds the southern area. In addition, a new tower called Sarıkule is built in the outer section. In later years, Kilitbahir Castle was restored again. This time the dusty pages of history show the year 1870. During this restoration phase, Sultan Abdul Aziz plays an important role. The original outer sea wall in the northern area of the castle does not reach today. The southern part of these wall is considered as a ball loophole at that time. The final restoration for the castle takes place in 2013. In 2015, some kind of exhibition project is on the agenda. An air view of the castle is likened to a clover leaf. The name of the castle means “Lock of the Sea”. Kilitbahir is also the name of the village that houses the castle. It is possible to find many Ottoman artifacts outside the castle in this village. Cahidi Sultan Mosque and Uşşaki dervish lodge are some of these. Kilitbahir Castle, which is situated at the foot of a small hill, consists of three separate sections in total. These sections are divided into outer castle, main tower and inner tower. Rough chipped stones form the main material of the castle. The span sections of the castle are tiled arched. The inner tower resembles a seven-story triangle. The purpose of the castle, which is located in the Eceabat district as the location, is to stop the enemy in Çanakkale before reaching Istanbul. In our recent history, Kilitbahir Castle plays a very important defensive role in the Çanakkale Wars.