Guvercinada Castle
Guvercinada Castle
Güvercinada is an island located in Turkey’s Aydin province. Located in the district of Kuşadası, the island is connected to the land by a man-made passage. There is a castle built by the Genoese on the island, which is an icon for Kuşadası. UNESCO included the castle in the World Heritage Temporary List within the scope of the file “Fortresses and Walled Settlements on the Genoese Trade Route from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea” in 2020. Güvercinada Castle, which covers the entire Güvercinada, is located on a natural rock. Its history is based on the Genoese who came to Kuşadası in the late 13th or early 14th century, it was renovated during the Ottoman Empire. Since the island served as a police station against pirates during the Ottoman period, it is also known as the Pirate Castle. Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha, who was appointed as the first beylerbeyi of the Algeria-i Bahr-i Sefid State established in 1533, had the citadel and city arsenal built on the island.
In 1613, after Kuşadası was given as property to the grand vizier and groom Öküz Mehmed Pasha, Mehmet Pasha had Güvercinada Castle repaired. During the Morea Revolt in the 19th century, the outer walls of the city and the walls around the castle were repaired by Ilyas Agha in 1826-1827. The castle was repaired and strengthened again in 1834 and was connected to the land by a breakwater in 1957. The castle was repaired again in 2013 and some structures within the castle were repaired. In the descriptions of the early travel books and the engraving that have survived to the present day, only the square planned tower is seen as the only fortification on the island. The tower measures 15.7×17.35m externally and rises on a stepped base on the long side.
Transportation:
To reach here, you must first reach the town center of Kuşadası. Kuşadası district is located 71 km from Aydın city center. It is possible to reach here by intercity buses. 6 vehicles of Aydın Metropolitan Municipality serve between Aydın and the district. After arriving at the town center of Kuşadası, you will reach the castle in 15 minutes when you follow the beach and walk.