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Hoşap Castle (Hoşap Kalesi) is an impressive 17th century castle perched atop a steep cliff. It’s located in Güzelsu, about 50 kilometers from the city of Van, Turkey.
History of Hoşap Castle
Hoşap Castle was built in 1649 by Sarı Süleyman Bey, the chief of the Kurdish Mahmudi tribe. It sits on the foundations of a medieval Armenian fortress, which was built on the site of an Urartian fortress. Semi-independent Kurdish beys lived in the inner castle until 1847, when the Ottomans abolished their rule.
The village of Hoşap, which translates to fresh water in Persian, sat between the inner castle and a defensive wall to the east, north, and west. It was built of mud and, according to a local we met, toothed to resemble the back of a dragon. Much of the western and eastern walls have been destroyed, but a watchtower and another fortification to the northeast survive.
The village was populated by about 1,500 families, including 1,000 Armenians, until it was largely abandoned in the 1850s. The Armenians practiced agriculture, trade, and crafts, while the Kurds bred and raised livestock. After the Armenians were expelled, the village’s two Armenian churches were demolished.
Visiting Hoşap Castle
Although it’s currently under restoration and closed to the public (as of August 2024), it’s still worth the trip to see the castle. A road winds up to the north side and the main entrance of the inner castle. If you’re lucky, the caretaker will let you in and show you around. Be sure to tip him well!
According to the caretaker, the restoration and excavation will take several years. There’s no much information available while work is carried out at the site, but the caretaker can briefly explain a little bit about the structures and the castle’s history. Check the official website for more info.
Inner Castle
The inner castle sits on a steep cliff to the south and a slope to the north. The entrance and original iron doors are on a tower on the north side. Above the door is a Persian inscription and lion reliefs.
After passing through the doors, there’s a dark corridor leading to a stairway. It winds its way up to the top of the tower where there’s an open space between the walls of the inner castle and the buildings.
The inner castle contains the Mahmudi palace, a harem, two mosques, three baths, fountains, underground dungeons, and other structures. The only ones the caretaker pointed out with certainty were the Mahmudi palace and the harem. The palace is on the south side of the inner castle, while the harem and other structures are on the west side.
We couldn’t get into the Mahmudi palace or the Harem for safety reasons, but the caretaker let us wander around a courtyard on the west side of the inner castle. Here are a few photos of the other structures we saw:
