Castle
Kilitbahir Castle
🇹🇷 Turkey · 15th century
Kilitbahir Castle (Turkish: Kilitbahir Kalesi) is a fortress on the west side of the Dardanelles, opposite the city of Çanakkale, where there is a corresponding fortress (Kale-i Sultaniye), from which Çanakkale takes its name. The two castles were constructed by Fatih Sultan Mehmet in 1463 to control the straits at their narrowest point. Kilitbahir's name, meaning "lock of the sea", reflects this defensive purpose. Due to the protracted siege against Candia, the castle and Kale-i Sultaniye were repaired in order to fortify the Dardanelles.
Text adapted from “Kilitbahir Castle” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Kilitbahir Castle ranks #2,958 of 7,738 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #48 of the 126 mapped in Turkey. Founded 1452, it is older than 48% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 434 atlas entries founded in the 15th century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 1,867 times in the last 60 days, more than 65% of the atlas. See how Turkey compares in the castle statistics.
View on the interactive castle map →Frequently asked questions
Where is Kilitbahir Castle?
Kilitbahir Castle stands in Turkey, at 40.14766°, 26.37957°.
When was Kilitbahir Castle built?
The atlas dates its founding to 1452. Earlier structures may have stood on the site; this is the earliest documented founding year.
How famous is Kilitbahir Castle?
In this atlas's fame ranking: #2,958 of 7,738 worldwide, and #48 in Turkey. Fame here combines how many Wikipedia language editions cover a landmark with how many people read them.
What is the nearest castle to Kilitbahir Castle?
Bozcaada Castle, about 44 km away.
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