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| via travelpod.com |
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?
