Kız Kalesi (Yumurtalık Sea Castle)

History and General Information / Local Legends and Folklore Yumurtalık Maiden's Castle, officially known as Atlas Castle or Sea Castle, is a unique medieval sea fortress built in the 12th and 13th centuries on a small island rocky island approximately 400 meters off the coast of Yumurtalık. The reason for the existence of the castle is to protect Ayas Port, the busiest port in the Mediterranean, against pirate fleets and Crusader navies approaching from the sea. The biggest legend of the castle among the public is the same as the ancient "Legend of the Maiden's Castle" of Anatolia: A fortune teller tells the king that his daughter will die from a snake bite; To protect his daughter, the king builds a castle on this island in the middle of the sea and places her there. However, a poisonous snake hidden in a grape basket sent from the palace completes the fate by biting the princess. The island's massive stone towers and walls rising above the sea waters sparkle like a fairy-tale castle in the middle of the Mediterranean. Geographical Structure, Altitude and Natural Features It is located on a natural island 400 meters off the Yumurtalık coast. Its altitude is 8 meters. The foundations of the castle press directly on the limestone cliffs under the sea; The shallow rocks around it are the natural nesting area of ​​bream, sea bass and octopuses. Visiting Hours, Days and Entrance Fees