Ravanda Castle is located near the village of Belenözü in the Polateli district of Kilis, on a rocky and conical hill dominating the Afrin River valley. The castle contains east-west oriented walls, angular and round bastions, an inner courtyard, palace ruins, and large cisterns. The castle was built by carving into the pointed peak of the mountain and has a wide field of view.

^{Ravanda Kalesi (Türkiye Kültür Portalı)}

Historical Development

The first concrete information about the history of Ravanda Castle dates back to the year 1097, during the First Crusade. At that time, the castle was under the control of Ridwan b. Tutush, the ruler of Aleppo, and was captured in the same year by Baudouin de Boulogne. Afterwards, it was attached to the County of Edessa.

In the 12th century, it was seized by the Atabeg of Mosul, Imad al-Din Zengi, and later by Nur al-Din Mahmud. Between the years 1176–1181, it was repaired and fortified by Saladin, and during this period, an inscription was placed at the entrance gate in the name of "al-Malik al-Nasir Yusuf bin Ayyub" (this inscription is now lost).

Remaining under Ayyubid control until 1261, the castle was later taken by the Mongols; in 1268, it was captured along with Antioch by the Mamluk Sultan Baybars and underwent restoration. In 1516, following Sultan Selim I's victory at the Battle of Marj Dabiq, it came under Ottoman rule and subsequently lost its military importance.

Architectural Features

The entrance gate of the castle is located on the south and is 2.20 meters wide and 3.10 meters high. The gate took its current form through restorations carried out at different times. In the north of the inner castle are the remains of the palace, and in the eastern part, there are two large cisterns with staircases on their front facades. It is thought that there was access to the Afrin River through a secret path from these cisterns.

The walls were built using rubble and cut stones. The angular and semi-circular bastions were placed for defense and observation purposes. The outer castle is largely destroyed, with only some foundations and debris surviving to the present day.

^{Ravanda Kalesi (Türkiye Kültür Portalı)}

Strategic Importance

With its location controlling the Afrin Valley and the Syria-Anatolia transit routes, Ravanda Castle has been a strategic base throughout history. During the Crusades, it played a role in the route of armies advancing into inner Anatolia. It was also considered one of the "Awasim" frontier defense zones along the Islamic-Byzantine border.

Current Condition

As part of the arrangements made after 2008, walking paths, lighting systems, and visitor safety were improved, and the preservation of the castle was ensured. Today, the partially standing walls and the inner castle are open to visitors. The castle is an important cultural tourism site in the region.