Güvercinada Castle is a coastal fortification located at the mouth of Kuşadası Bay, within the boundaries of Hacıfeyzullah Mahallesi in Kuşadası district, Aydın province. The castle built on Güvercinada was constructed to protect Kuşadası from attacks coming from the sea.

^{Güvercinada Castle (Anadolu Agency)}

History

The castle was built by the Ottoman naval commander Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha in the 1530s. Located at a strategic point overlooking the Gulf of Kuşadası, the structure was built for defensive purposes, particularly against threats from the sea. The walls surrounding the castle were built in the 1820s by İlyas Ağa, the governor of the Sığla Sanjak, during the Mora Uprising. The inscription on the northern tower dates back to 1826 (H. 1242). Thanks to the breakwater completed in 1957, the island was connected to the mainland and became a peninsula.

Architectural Features

Inside Güvercinada Castle, there is a square-shaped structure measuring 17.35 × 15.70 m with a barrel vault ceiling located in the centre of the island. The main entrance is located on the south facade of the structure; there are gun ports on the north, south and west sides, and stairs leading to the upper floor on the east side. The walls are approximately 3 metres high and were built using stone material sourced from Yılancıburnu. The wall structure is supported by towers with different plan features: two cylindrical towers in the south, two pentagonal towers in the north, and two rectangular towers in the northeast and northwest. The wall openings on the inner side of the walls serve primarily for observation and defence purposes.

^{Güvercinada Castle (Anadolu Agency)}

Restoration Work

Various restoration works have been carried out on the structure and its surroundings at different times. The castle, which was damaged by earthquakes, has recently undergone extensive restoration. With the completion of the works in 2016, the castle has been opened to visitors.

Current Status

Following restoration, the castle and its surroundings have been arranged as a visitor area; glass-floored exhibition areas, bird nests, a small museum section, a cistern, a lighthouse and a statue of Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha have been added. Güvercinada Castle is now important both as a cultural heritage site and for tourism on a local scale.