Gaziantep Castle

A citadel on an artificially raised mound in the centre of the city. The first fortifications here appeared as far back as Hittite times, the present walls were laid down in the sixth century by the Byzantine emperor Justinian, and the Seljuks and Mamluks built on them further. The castle is circular in plan, about one hundred and twenty metres across, with twelve towers and a moat; the masonry is of the same pale limestone as the whole old town. The city got its name here: the prefix "gazi", that is "valiant", was given to Antep for the defence of 1920–1921, when the inhabitants held out for ten months against French troops, and from 2008 a museum of that defence operated inside the castle. The earthquake of February 2023 brought down part of the walls and towers. Authorities reported reopening after restoration in September 2025. Confirm current indoor access before visiting. The mound remains the highest point of the centre, and the streets of the old town radiate from its foot.

Address

Karagöz Mahallesi, Gaziantep

On the map