Kızkalesi: The Maiden's Castle in the Sea

A medieval castle on a small island about 200 metres off the coast of Mersin, at ancient Corycus, re-fortified by the Byzantines in the early 12th century and held by the Armenians of Cilicia.

The castle seems to float on the sea, its walls and towers rising straight from the water. From the beach you can swim out to it, or hop on a little boat from the pier.

Corycus and its castles

Kızkalesi, 'Maiden's Castle', is a small town in Erdemli district, Mersin, 60 km from Mersin. In antiquity it was Corycus, a large city under the Seleucids, Romans and Byzantines. At the start of the 12th century, the admiral Eustathios Kymineianos re-fortified it for Alexios I Komnenos, adding a castle on a small island. Soon after, the Armenians took it, and until the mid-14th century they held both the land and sea castles guarding this port for the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. The island castle has extensive remains of Armenian rebuilding.

Kızkalesi, the Maiden's Castle. Photo: Nedim Ardoğa · CC BY-SA 3.0

The legend

The castle got its name from a tale: a king kept his daughter on the island to protect her from a snake. But a serpent was carried to the castle in a basket, and she was bitten and died.

Visiting

The island castle is about 200 metres offshore. Most people take the boat from the beach pier near the land castle of Corycus. Strong swimmers can swim out; wear water shoes, as the rocks around the castle are jagged. The Museum Card is valid. On the shore stands the larger land castle, and the town's wide beach hosted beach volleyball at the 2013 Mediterranean Games.