İspir Castle

İspir Castle is a historical structure situated on a dominant hill on the left bank of the Çoruh River in the İspir district of Erzurum Province. Although there is no definitive information regarding who originally built the castle, its geographical location, strategic features, and the presence of a secret water channel descending to the Çoruh River suggest it may have been established by the Urartians. Some sources attribute its construction to the Ilkhanids who ruled the region in the 12th century. Since no inscriptions from the period of construction have survived, the exact date of its origin remains uncertain. The structure was restored in the 16th century by Ottoman Sultan Kanuni Sultan Süleyman^【1】.

^{İspir Kalesi} (T.C. İspir Kaymakamlığı)

İspir Castle consists of an inner citadel planned according to the shape of the main rock formation, covering an area of approximately 125 by 135 metres, and outer walls enclosing the settlement. Coloured stones collected from the Çoruh River were used for the lower sections and foundations, while regularly cut stones were preferred for the upper walls.

Access to the inner citadel is via a stepped path from the east. The castle’s curtain walls and towers are constructed using ashlar stone and horasan mortar. The walls facing the town on the outer castle have been largely destroyed, leaving few traces today. On the steep cliffs to the west of the castle, remnants of a secret water channel descending to the Çoruh River still exist.

^{Kilisenin Duvarları} (T.C. İspir Kaymakamlığı)

Within the inner citadel, various structures and remains serve religious and administrative purposes.

Although its exact construction date is uncertain, it is generally believed to have been built by the Saltukids in the 12th century. It is likely that Alp İnanç Bey, who also commissioned the Kale Mescidi and Kesik Minare in Erzurum, ordered its construction around 1124. The thickness of the mosque’s walls is 115 centimetres.^【2】

• Minaret: A slender minaret constructed of stone also served as a watchtower for the castle.
• Çilehane: West of the mosque’s roof, beneath a cradle vault, there is a space measuring 9 by 2.30 metres, accessible via 12 steps. This area is believed to have functioned as a çilehane.^【3】

At the highest point of the inner citadel, aligned east-west, lies the remains of a basilica-style church occupying an area of approximately 13.80 by 24 metres. The walls of this ruined structure are about 90 centimetres thick. The building, believed to date from the Byzantine period, was constructed using regularly cut stone and rubble stone.^【4】