Araklı Castle
A castle on a rocky hill on the Black Sea coast. It dates from the Byzantine period and was built to control maritime trade. Part of the castle walls has survived, and the sea views are impressive.
View on map13 places to visit in the Araklı district of Trabzon: Araklı Castle, Karadağ Plateau and Araklı Coast. Plan your trip to Araklı with local food, practical tips and transport information.
Introduction
Araklı is a district of Trabzon province, bordered by Arsin to the west and Sürmene to the east. It is the 3rd most populous district in Trabzon. The district centre stands on average 7 metres above sea level, and the district covers 464 km².
Etymology
The earliest recorded form of the name appears in a 15th-century Trabzon Empire document as Herakleia. The name Herakleia is thought to relate to the Eastern Roman emperor Herakleios, who is known to have been in Trabzon in 626. The name Araklı is believed to have arisen in the Ottoman period, when the village recorded as Herakleia in the final official records of the Trabzon Empire was folk-etymologically linked to arak (raki) and wine production, which was concentrated in the same area.
History
Araklı was founded on lands where the Silk Road, the most lively east–west trade route for millennia, reached the Black Sea. This gives it commercial, military and geostrategic value. The district was occupied by Russia in 1916, and the occupation ended in 1918. Araklı separated from Sürmene in 1953 to become a district in its own right.
Tourism
Pazarcık, a pine-covered area 70 km south of Araklı, was designated a tourism centre by the Ministry of Tourism. Pazarcık Cave lies at the entrance to Pazarcık. Asmasu Waterfall, 2.5 km from the Çatak junction on the Araklı–Bayburt road, is one of the region’s natural beauties in terms of its height and water flow.
History and Culture
Araklı was occupied by Russia in 1916, and the occupation ended in 1918. The first settlement was at Konakönü, west of the present district centre. In earlier times Kalecik was a stopping point for the Genoese. Kalecik Castle is linked to Canayer Castle.
Highlights
The earliest recorded form of the name appears in a 15th-century Trabzon Empire document as ‘Herakleia’, the name of a village attached to the Sürmene subdistrict. Every neighbourhood is built entirely of stone, with single-storey houses, 1 or 2 churches with stone façades, and 1 fountain at the head of each street.
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