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Üçhisar Castle (Üçhisar Kalesi) is a large rock castle in Cappadocia, Turkey. It sits within the boundaries of Göreme Historical National Park (Göreme Tarihî Milli Parkı) and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia.
History of Üçhisar Castle
Üçhisar Castle stands 60 meters high and dominates the landscape, towering over the town of Üçhisar. It served as a natural fortress and lookout tower during the Byzantine period and can be seen from several kilometers away.
The castle was developed around the 7th century and housed up to 1,000 people. Residents lived inside until the 1950s when they were forced to move out for safety reasons. It’s no longer inhabited and many of the rooms are blocked.
Climbing the Castle
The castle is run by the local community. Foreigners pay 350₺ to climb the 120 steps to the top (as of August 2025). The views are spectacular but in all honesty it’s a little overpriced for the experience.
Anyone who climbs up to the top of the castle will be treated to some fantastic views. It’s possible to see almost every valley in the region. If you have a chance to go up at sunset, the scenery will be even more dramatic.
Directly below the castle are several fairy chimneys that dot the area as well as a few abandoned homes. There are also a few graves dug out of the rock at the top of the castle.
Üçhisar Castle Valley
There are two good places to view the castle from afar. One is at Pigeon Valley (see the first photo above), where you can see the castle towering over the town. It’s located a short drive two kilometers south of Üçhisar and is a stop on just about any tour of Cappadocia. The other is at Üçhisar Castle Valley, where you see more of the natural landscape including several fairy chimneys. It’s located on the road running north of town.
