Niğde Castle

The fortress that surrounds the hill where the old city of Niğde was situated is encircled by three walls. Its exact construction date is not known,but the texture on the lower walls suggests that the castle may have been built around the 8th century BCE. Some sections of the fortification walls were incorporated into houses, and the remaining bastion in the northeast has survived, possibly extending to Sungurbey Mosque. A small portion of the fortifications across from the mosque has been restored, while the western walls and towers have entirely disappeared. The main tower, which is the only remaining bastion, is located at the highest point of the hill and is significantly taller than the surrounding walls that lean against rectangular bastions. Although the outer walls remain intact, many of the rooms and chambers inside are completely ruined. The citadel was restored in the 1740s by Grand Vizier Ishak Pasha, and the hill was later converted into a park by the municipality, enclosing the area with walls. On one of the old bastions stands Niğde's famous clock tower, a beautiful structure often regarded as the city’s symbol. Although it lacks an inscription, stylistic analysis dates it to the 19th century.