Amasya Castle

Amasya Castle (Turkish: Amasya Kalesi), a.k.a. Harşene Castle, is a fortress located in Amasya, northern Turkey. The castle is located north of Amasya and the river Yeşilırmak on the steep rocks of Mount Harşena. The castle was attacked, ruined, and changed hands many times over the course of the Persian, Roman, Pontic and Byzantine eras, and was restored each time. The castle was severely ruined during the battles between the Romans and Pontics. It was substantially restored after the 1075 conquest of Amasya by the Danishmends, an Oghuz Turk dynasty. It remained in use until the 18th century when it lost its military importance. While fleeing the invading troops of Timur in the first years of the 15th century, Ottoman then-şehzade Çelebi Mehmed took refuge in Amasya Castle. The castle has four gates, named Helkıs, Saray, Maydonos and Meydan. It includes dungeons, cisterns, wells and galleried monumental rock-tombs. The castle has eight-level defensive emplacements outside the castle down to the banks of Yeşilırmak River.