Nevşehir Castle is situated in the center of Nevşehir Province, atop a prominent hill at an elevation of 1,285 meters. The castle is notable for its proximity to the city center and its surrounding remains of rock-cut settlements from the Byzantine and Ottoman periods. The structure has an asymmetrical layout, extending in alignment with the orientation of the hill. It features two entrances: one to the west and one to the east. The western gate has a round arch and measures 2.10 meters in width and 2.45 meters in height. The eastern gate, by contrast, has a rectangular form with a flat lintel stone, measuring 1.52 by 3.40 meters. Both gates are flanked by pointed-arch niches.

Architectural Structure and Material Characteristics

The castle's walls are reinforced with four circular bastions. The height of the walls ranges between 5.50 and 6.75 meters. The structure occupies an area of approximately 1,288 square meters, with a perimeter of 196.53 meters. The wall-walks (seğirdim yolları) are accessible via staircases located on the northern and southern sides. The defense system consists of 46 small sections, each with designated openings for defensive purposes. The structure is built using locally sourced dark basalt stone that is roughly dressed, along with neatly cut yellow stone. The walls show evidence of repair mortars from different historical periods.

Archaeological Findings and Excavations

Rescue excavations carried out in 2018 provided limited data concerning the construction and use phases of the castle. No clear architectural foundations were uncovered. However, the discovery of lamps, ceramics, and pipe fragments indicated that the castle was in use particularly during the Late Ottoman period. The absence of archaeological evidence for residential buildings suggests that previously reported plans to construct dwellings inside the castle may not have been realized.

Dating Debates

There are differing opinions regarding the construction date of Nevşehir Castle. While some sources attribute it to the Seljuk period, they do not provide concrete evidence to support this claim. The Nevşehir Cultural Inventory records the castle as a Byzantine-era structure, though it also lacks detailed justification. Nearby sixth-century spaces bearing cross reliefs point to a Byzantine settlement in the region. The earliest dated written reference to the castle comes from the 18th century during the reign of Damat İbrahim Pasha, when archival documents note a reconstruction of the structure. Additionally, according to İsmail Çerçi, an inscription dated 1874 on the western gate suggests that the castle had Byzantine origins and was later restored by the Karamanids.

Function and Usage

The castle's location on a strategic elevation supports the idea that it may have originally functioned as a watchtower or military outpost. While documents from the Arab-Byzantine conflicts reference fortifications in the area, Nevşehir Castle itself is not specifically mentioned. Rather than being a prominent military site, it is believed that the castle gained symbolic importance during the urban development of Nevşehir under Damat İbrahim Pasha, as part of a broader architectural policy.

Restorations and Later Use

Ottoman archival sources from the Damat İbrahim Pasha era indicate that the castle was reconstructed and that there were plans to build residences within it, though these plans were only partially implemented due to space limitations. In the 19th and 20th centuries, various repairs were carried out. The western gate was restored in 1874, and another round of maintenance took place in the 1950s. Today, the interior of the castle serves as a public park.