Mut Castle

A historic fortress in Mut district, Mersin Province, Turkey, situated at the foothills of the Taurus Mountains along the Goksu River. The site overlies the ancient Roman city of Claudiopolis, renamed from Ninica in honor of Emperor Claudius around 50 AD. Though its exact construction date is unknown, the castle was used during the Byzantine period. In 1228 the Karamanid ruler Yakup Bey besieged but failed to capture it, leading them to name it 'Dar-ul Mevt' (House of Death), from which 'Mut' derives. The castle features an irregular plan with upper and lower sections and a round two-story lookout tower.