Mamure Castle

via travelpod.com

Can you believe I missed going inside this castle? Yes - stupid me - I was too tired that day. I had the most amazing chicken kebab at a restaurant down the beach from it, though...with a breathtaking view. Luckily, Anamur it isn't far from Mersin, so I can get back there the next time I go to Turkey.

Here's the 101 on Mamure Castle according to wikipedia:

The castle was built on the foundation of an ancient castle built by the Roman Empire in the forth century, undoubtedly against pirates. 

-blah de blah de blah - lots of guys fought over it, it changed hands several times - fast forward :

In 1475, the castle was annexed by the Ottoman Empire. During Ottoman reign, the castle was repaired in the 15th, 16th and 18th centuries and a part of the castle was used as a cervansarai.

Love the part about the pirates... (I keep looking for a way to use that! I promise I'll get you some more posts on them soon.) ...and Mamure must have been the most awesome caravanserai stop. Can you imagine stopping there for the night to rest your tired, laden *erm*camel? (Monty Python fan here.) OK, so maybe it was a little smelly, but there's a killer view. (mamure = prosperous, btw.)

So why is Mamure castle special?

Let's break it down. I always write about the stories behind a castle, but in this case I need to point out the parts. Mamure is known for it's spectacular crenellation.

Take it away wiktionary:

Crenellation

1. A pattern along the top of a parapet (fortified wall), most often in the form of multiple, regular, rectangular spaces in the top of the wall, through which arrows or other weaponry may be shot, especially as used in medieval European architecture.
2. The act of crenellating; adding a top row that looks like the top of a medieval castle.

It's nice to find a ruin that isn't so...well...ruined...isn't it?

For info on more castle parts, stick around, or get yourself a copy of CASTLE by David Macaulay.

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Krak des Chevaliers

Image via WikipediaTurkey is an awesome place to live if you think castles are cool. The Knights Hospitaller (more on them later) and other crusaders sprinkled the Mediterranean coast with them in various shapes and sizes. There are so many that after a while, you think you've seen enough and they even fade to the background.  Don't make the same mistake I did - drag yourself into every one you come across! I missed some interesting things. (Granted, I was very tired and climbing around ruins is exhausting. I opted for the beach.)

For this week's field trip, we'll go farther along the pilgrimage route into Syria, near the border of Lebanon. There's no chance of missing the main base of the Knights Hospitaller, Krak des Chevaliers, there. The fortress is one of the most important preserved military castles in the world. 

Never heard of it, right? Me neither, until I started researching. (It was my wallpaper for a while because just looking at the impressive structure inspires me.) The castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and if it weren't for the location, I think it would be mobbed with tourists.

Krak des Chevaliers is the largest crusader castle in the Holy Land.  When the original inner castle was given to the Knights Hospitaller in 1142, they expanded it into a concentric castle.  The outer walls are at least 10 feet thick, even up to 100 feet thick at the base of the south side.  Numerous guard towers are as wide as 30 feet.

The Knights also built a gothic-style inner ward, along with stables for 1,000 horses and quarters for 2,000 soldiers.  Not only is the fortress strong, there is storage dug into the cliff underneath it.  That strategic planning meant the castle could withstand seige for up to 5 years. It was never taken by force, only through trickery and finally, because of the decline of the Knights' importance.

Other castles were built to emulate the style of Krak des Chevaliers, but none as large or effective.

Impenetrable castle + Crusader knights = Chapter 11!


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Watch this video clip for an idea of the scale.

Sis Castle

courtesy of Dick Osseman
http://www.pbase.com/dosseman/image/95346107

Truth is most definitely stranger than fiction. I was looking for a medieval princess trapped in a fortress in the middle of the sea and found one who lived at the top of a craggy peak instead. Her city is now Kozan, near Adana in the south of Turkey. The main ruin there, Sis castle, was the capitol of the Rubenid dynasty. It was destroyed in 1375, but not by djinn. Towers are terraced into the rock of two tall peaks and there are tunnels and storage rooms carved deep into the mountain, designed against a siege. Once formidable, now it's little more than a pile of rubble and not a huge tourist attraction. Again, reminds me of the poet Shelley:

"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Sybil's actual namesake, Queen Zabel of Cilicia was born there, lived there, had her children there. She died nearby in the monastery of Trazarg. Her kingdom, Cilicia, was an important ally of the Outremer Crusader states, supporting the pilgrimage and the crusades to Jerusalem. The Knights Hospitaller, similar to the Knights Templar made famous again by Dan Brown, were big players in the region at that time. I use them in Burnt Amber too, though not in the most traditional sense. I'm verging on spoilers here...so maybe I should stop now. Thought you might enjoy seeing my inspiration though, especially if you're a beta reader.