Castle of the gulf to open tourism

KOCAELİ

The restoration works have been completed in the 1400-year-old Hereke Castle, located in the district of Körfez at the peak area overlooking the İzmit Bay, and will soon be open for tourism.

Estimated to have been built in the 640s during the Eastern Roman Empire, the historical castle is well illustatied in Evliya Çelebi’s “Travel Book.”

According to the officials, the castle will contribute to the promotion of the region and might increase the interest of the tourists in the traditional Hereke carpets for which the district is popularly known for in the region.

Speaking to the state-run Anadolu Agency, Körfez Mayor Şener Söğüt said that Hereke is an important district, especially with its popular carpets.

Highlighting the significance of the Hereke carpets, he said, “While looking for the answer to the question of what we need to do to bring the Hereke carpets back to the busy days of trade, we wanted to benefit from the historical values of Hereke.”

“Hereke Castle was built in the Eastern Roman Empire period, but until four to five years ago, it was at a point where there were only foundations, they were not visible and occupied by some citizens with houses on it. We need to bring Hereke’s historical values to the surface so that Hereke regains her old days,” Söğüt added.

Stating that the restoration in the castle has been completed and only the interior landscape work is continuing, Söğüt said: “In total, the inner area of the castle is 4.5 acres. There will be open-air cinema shows, theater performances and concerts here. With a museum on the Hereke Carpet, we will enrich this place and open it to tourists in the summer of next year.”