Gülnar Castle
The castle remains on the hill in the district centre date from the Roman period. The loopholes and towers that can still be seen on its walls show traces of defensive architecture.
View on map3 places to visit in the Gülnar district of Mersin: Gülnar Castle, Gülnar Plateaus and Taşeli Plateau. Plan your trip to Gülnar with local food, practical tips and transport information.
Gülnar is a district of Mersin Province, built on the Taşeli Plateau at 950 m in the Taurus Mountains. It covers 1,416 km² and has an altitude of 963 metres. Gülnar is 32 km from the Mediterranean and 150 km from Mersin city centre.
History
Gülnar’s history goes back to the Hittites, and the region was later dominated by the Assyrians. Gülnar’s present-day population are Turkmens who migrated in 1230 from a Gülnar on the shore of Lake Balkaş in Central Asia and settled in this area. The nomads’ ancestors, led by Gülnar Hatun, fought major battles, came to the Mersin region, settled there and named the place after Gülnar Hatun. In 1461 Gülnar, together with Silifke and Mut, came under Ottoman rule through Gedik Ahmet Paşa, one of Fatih Sultan Mehmet’s commanders. At a ceremony held on 3 June 1916, Gülnar officially became a district.
Geography
The district covers 1,416 km² and lies on the Taşeli Plateau.
Economy
The district, which has a total area of 166,900 hectares, has 35,110 hectares of farmland. On the arable land, field farming, viticulture, fruit growing and vegetable growing are carried out. In the mountainous areas, wheat and chickpeas are grown among the cereals, and viticulture is also an important source of livelihood. In the villages, weaving looms produce region-specific textiles such as halı, kilim, çul, çuval and heybe.
History and Culture
Today’s settlers are said to be the descendants of nomads who came to the Mersin (İçel) region under the leadership of Gülnar Hatun and settled there. In the villages, weaving looms known as ıstar and çulhalık produce region-specific halı, kilim, çul, çuval, heybe and bez. Gülnar officially became a district at a ceremony held on 3 June 1916.
Highlights
The present-day population of the district are Turkmens who migrated in 1230 from a Gülnar on the shore of Lake Bolkaş in Central Asia and settled in this area. In 1461 Gülnar, together with Silifke and Mut, came under Ottoman rule through Gedik Ahmet Paşa, one of Fatih Sultan Mehmet’s commanders.
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