Yilankale
Encyclopedia
Yılankale, Yilan, Ilan-kale, or Castle of the Snakes is a large medieval crusader castle located east of Adana
in modern Turkey
, built on a rocky hill overlooking the east bank of the Ceyhan river. Its medieval name is unknown - the "Castle of the Snakes" name is due to a Turkish legend in which it belongs to the king of the snakes (Youngs 1965).
The castle and its impressive towers are visible from the highway E5 from Adana to Iskenderun
. Yılankale is one of many castles in the Çukurova
region. It was built in the 11th or the 12th century, and was used by the Crusaders
.
enclosed by curtain walls. The upper ward has seven horseshoe-shaped towers, up to 15 meters in height, projecting from the curtain wall. The gate to the upper ward is flanked by two towers with a gatehouse containing the bent entrance
between them. (Youngs 1965). The upper gate can only be reached via a narrow ramp.
The castle also contains a chapel
and cistern
s.
The horseshoe-shaped towers projecting from the curtain wall
are characteristic of Armenian castle architecture (Molin 2001), as is the absence of a central donjon.
Like many Armenian castles, Yilan makes good use of the local topography for its defence. Its walls closely follow the top of the rock on which the castle is located.
Adana
Adana is a city in southern Turkey and a major agricultural and commercial center. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, 30 kilometres inland from the Mediterranean, in south-central Anatolia...
in modern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, built on a rocky hill overlooking the east bank of the Ceyhan river. Its medieval name is unknown - the "Castle of the Snakes" name is due to a Turkish legend in which it belongs to the king of the snakes (Youngs 1965).
The castle and its impressive towers are visible from the highway E5 from Adana to Iskenderun
Iskenderun
İskenderun is a city and urban district in the province of Hatay on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. The current mayor is Yusuf Hamit Civelek .-Names:...
. Yılankale is one of many castles in the Çukurova
Çukurova
Çukurova , historically known as Cilicia, is a geographic, economic and cultural region in south-central Turkey, covering the provinces of Mersin, Adana, Osmaniye and Hatay...
region. It was built in the 11th or the 12th century, and was used by the Crusaders
Crusaders
The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles...
.
Architecture
Yilan has a lower, middle and upper wardWard (fortification)
In fortifications, a bailey or ward refers to a courtyard enclosed by a curtain wall. In particular, an early type of European castle was known as a Motte-and-bailey. Castles can have more than one ward. Their layout depends both on the local topography and the level of fortification technology...
enclosed by curtain walls. The upper ward has seven horseshoe-shaped towers, up to 15 meters in height, projecting from the curtain wall. The gate to the upper ward is flanked by two towers with a gatehouse containing the bent entrance
Bent entrance
A bent entrance is a defensive feature in mediaeval fortification. In a castle with a bent entrance, the gate passage is narrow and turns sharply. Its purpose is to slow down attackers attempting to rush the gate and impede the use of battering rams against doors...
between them. (Youngs 1965). The upper gate can only be reached via a narrow ramp.
The castle also contains a chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
and cistern
Cistern
A cistern is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. Cisterns are distinguished from wells by their waterproof linings...
s.
The horseshoe-shaped towers projecting from the curtain wall
Curtain wall (fortification)
A curtain wall is a defensive wall between two bastions of a castle or fortress.In earlier designs of castle the curtain walls were often built to a considerable height and were fronted by a ditch or moat to make assault difficult....
are characteristic of Armenian castle architecture (Molin 2001), as is the absence of a central donjon.
Like many Armenian castles, Yilan makes good use of the local topography for its defence. Its walls closely follow the top of the rock on which the castle is located.