Kızkalesi
A small seaside town, the ancient Corycus, named after the castle that stands on an island just off its beach. A second castle faces it on the shore, and the island fortress can be reached by boat or a short swim.
- Where
- Mersin, Türkiye
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 36.4606, 34.1450
Get the Kızkalesi stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Kızkalesi. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Mersin volume with your photos and a note.
Near Kızkalesi
Cennet and Cehennem 3.6 km
Two large sinkholes in the Taurus Mountains, called Heaven and Hell. A path leads down into the larger one, where a small Byzantine chapel stands at the mouth of a cave, while the deeper one can only be looked into from above.
Çatalhöyük 178 km
A mound on the Konya Plain holding one of the earliest large settlements known, lived in from around 7500 BC to 5600 BC. Its mud-brick houses were packed so tightly that people entered through the roofs, and it became a UNESCO site in 2012.
Alanya Castle 193 km
A medieval castle on the rocky peninsula above Alanya, its walls winding down the cliffs to the sea. It was largely built under the Seljuk sultan Alaeddin Keykubad in the 13th century, and the views over both beaches are wide.
Ihlara Valley 200 km
A canyon 15 km long and up to 150 metres deep in the south-west of Cappadocia, with a river running along its floor. Its walls hold around 50 rock-hewn churches, and a path follows the water beneath them.
Mevlâna Museum 214 km
The former lodge of the Mevlevi order, the whirling dervishes, in Konya. Under its green tiled dome lies the tomb of Rumi, the Sufi mystic and poet whose followers founded the order.
Derinkuyu Underground City 219 km
A multi-level city dug into the rock beneath the town of Derinkuyu, reaching about 85 metres down. It is the largest excavated underground city in Turkey, big enough to shelter thousands of people with their animals and food.
Kaymaklı Underground City 229 km
An underground settlement inside the old citadel of Kaymaklı, about 19 km from Nevşehir on the road to Niğde. Low tunnels link storerooms, stables and living spaces on several levels, and it was first opened to visitors in 1964.
Manavgat Waterfall 243 km
A broad, low waterfall on the Manavgat River, 3 km north of Manavgat town and close to Side. The falls are not tall, but a great volume of water spreads across a wide shelf, and it is best seen from above.
More hidden gems in Mersin
Questions
Where is Kızkalesi?
Kızkalesi is in Mersin, Türkiye. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Cennet and Cehennem (3.6 km), Çatalhöyük (178 km), Alanya Castle (193 km).
How do I get the Kızkalesi stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Kızkalesi and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Mersin volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Kızkalesi before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Mersin volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.