Black Sea Castle set to become tourism spot

ORDU – Anadolu Agency

Excavations are set to resume at Ordu’s 2,300-year-old Kurul Castle, the first scientific excavation field in the eastern Black Sea region, as the site will be transformed into a new tourism center which will “change Ordu’s history.” 

An ancient settlement and a first degree archaeological site, Kurul Castle is located on a sharp rock in the Bayadı neighborhood, 13 kilometers away from the city center. 

Excavations at the castle were first started in 2010 and continued until 2015. 

The castle’s 250-300 stairs were unearthed during this time, as well as a number of earthenware roof tiles and ceramic pieces. Examinations of the findings showed that a settlement had existed in the castle between the 1st and 2nd centuries B.C. 

Prof. Süleyman Şenyurt, the head of the archaeology department at Gazi University, said they planned to resume work at the site in the first week of June. “Preparations are done. It will take approximately three months with the participation of 25 people,” he added. 

Şenyurt said they estimated the works would continue for 10-15 more years at least, adding, “We are determined to accelerate our work unless we have financing. Ordu Mayor Enver Yılmaz makes a great contribution to the project.”

The professor said many historical artifacts have been unearthed in the castle since 2010, and continued: 

“We have found important artifacts such as an entrance door, ceramics, coins, arrowheads and god and goddess busts used in religious and cultural fields. Besides these, we have also found hundreds of burned wood pieces, nails, metal weapons and knives, dagger heads, axes, anchors, cutters and weaving looms. We will get more of them as excavations continue.”

Stating that some 70 percent of the castle was unearthed during the six-year excavations, Şenyurt said the Kurul Castle would be the new tourism spot in the region. 

Speaking about the castle, Yılmaz said the history of the Black Sea region was hidden in the castle. 

“The Kurul Castle will change Ordu’s history. This place will become a new tourism center. We will accelerate excavations,” he added.