İspir Kalesi

İspir Castle is a medieval fortress built on a rock mass rising on the bank of the Çoruh River in the İspir district, north of Erzurum. The Turkish Wikipedia explains that the castle stands to the south-west of the town and leans against steep cliffs whose western and southern edges are traced by the river. Even today the castle commands both the Çoruh valley and the houses of İspir. According to the introduction by the İspir District Governorship, when you enter the town along the left bank of the river on the road from Erzurum, the castle appears on the hilltop in all its grandeur. The date of construction of the castle is not known for certain. The Kültür Portalı and the District Governorship note that, because no inscription belonging to the castle has survived, the date has never been settled. The same sources write that the castle is thought to have been built by a state ruling the region in the 12th century. The provincial tourism guide, on the other hand, says that its building features recall the Urartians and that the castle took the shape of an earlier castle on the same spot because it was built on top of it. The fact that the sources point to different periods can be explained by the place having changed hands many times. The Turkish Wikipedia also notes that the castle passed through several hands and spreads over several terraces. The Kültür Portalı and the District Governorship report that the castle was repaired in the 16th century, in the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent. The site of the castle is not just a town but an old mountain route. According to the Turkish Wikipedia, İspir and its surroundings lie on natural routes connecting Eastern Anatolia with the Black Sea coast and the Caucasus. The name of the settlement is considered to derive from the Georgian name Speri, and in the Byzantine period the place was known as Sper. İspir came under the rule of the Saltukid Beylik in 1072 and passed through the hands of many states in the following centuries. The castle was taken by Ottoman forces in 1499, changed hands again shortly afterwards, and the region passed permanently to Ottoman rule after the Çaldıran campaign of 1514. As you approach the walls, the most interesting detail of the castle is immediately visible. According to the District Governorship, the lower parts of the walls of the castle and of the small mosque inside it were built of colourful river stones carried and worn smooth by the water. Neatly cut stone was used in the upper parts, and this double texture is a feature rarely seen in other castles. The Kültür Portalı also confirms that the foundations were built of stones gathered from the Çoruh and the upper walls of cut stone blocks. Standing in front of the wall and looking at the transition between the rounded river stones below and the neat courses above is the easiest way to understand how it was built. The inner castle stands on the highest point of the hill. According to the District Governorship, the slender stone minaret of the small mosque inside the castle was also built as the castle's watchtower. In this respect İspir recalls the arrangement of the clock tower and the small mosque in the citadel of Erzurum. The walls of the outer castle facing the town have largely collapsed, but in some sections the walls are still quite high. The provincial tourism guide also writes that a secret water passage was discovered in the part of the castle that descends to the Çoruh; passages like this, which gave the garrison access to water during a siege, were among the most important parts of mountain fortresses. The real reward of the castle is its view. From the terraces you see the Çoruh valley below, the steep slopes opposite, and old and new houses lined up at the foot of the castle. The Turkish Wikipedia notes that because of the dam on the Çoruh, the land below the castle has been flooded; the valley therefore looks different today from how it looked a few decades ago. For photographs, the afternoon light brings out the colour of the rock and the stone walls best. The castle has been restored in recent years, and sources present it as a restored structure. Even so, the passages between the terraces are steep and stony, so wear comfortable shoes with a good grip. Ask local sources about visiting conditions and any ongoing works before you go. According to the Kültür Portalı, İspir is about 145 kilometres from the city centre and is reached by the İspir vehicles leaving from the district bus station in Erzurum. The provincial nature guide writes that the journey takes about two and a half hours by bus. The Çoruh, which flows through the district, is described as one of the fastest-flowing rivers in the world and offers demanding courses for rafting and canoeing. After visiting the castle, heading out to the Yedigöller lakes south of the Kaçkar Mountains or down to the riverbank is a good way to round off a day in İspir.