Kahramanmaraş Fortress

The Kahramanmaraş Fortress stands on a mound (tumulus) hill in the Kahramanmaraş city center. Throughout the centuries the fortress has undergone many repairs. It is thought to have been built between 8 BC or 9 BC in the late Hittite era. It is thought that the fortress was the center of the Gurgum Kingdom. Rectangular in shape, the fortress is 150 x 75 meters having walls that are walls 160 cm thick. The fortress was used by the Late Hittites, Assyrians, Macedonians, Seleucids, Romans, Byzantines, Muslims, Arabs, Seljuks and Ottomans. The Anatolian Seljuks were the first to make repairs. Again, the fortress was restored during the Ottoman period, and the mosque was built by Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. At this time there were 10 houses inside the fortress walls. The artifacts from the Late Hittite period, including the Maraş Lion, are on display in Maras Archeological Museum. Today, there is an open tea garden, playground and rest areas inside the castle walls.