Beyşehir City Center Castle Gate

The Castle Gate, located in the north of Beysehir Castle, is a highly significant structure in terms of history and architecture. As one of the few surviving structures from the Middle Ages to the present day, this gate was used as the entrance point to the castle. Made of rubble stone and brick, the gate is not only remarkable for its solid structure but also for its decorative features.

The relief motifs on the gate reflect the architectural style of the Seljuk and Ottoman periods. Therefore, it is recommended that anyone interested in history and art should visit this gate. The Castle Gate, combined with the beauty and historical texture of Beysehir Castle, offers an unforgettable travel experience.

Today, a historical castle gate from the Eshrefid period is found in the Içerişehir District. This historical gate was the main entrance gate of the walls surrounding Beyşehir, which was built by Eşrefoğlu Süleyman Bey, the Uç Bey (margrave) of the Seljuks. This city, which was called "Süleymanşehir" in the years it was founded, and which was very modern for its age, was partly surrounded by the lake and partly by thick walls. In the past, the entrance to the city was made through the big gate of the castle, and there was a big ditch filled with water around the walls. With the loss of military importance of Beyşehir Castle, most of the castle walls were destroyed due to the destruction of time, nature, and people. According to the information obtained from the existing traces and sources, Beyşehir Castle has three gates. One of them was in the east of Eşrefoğlu Complex and the other was in the west direction where the castle met the lake.

According to the information obtained from existing traces and historical sources, the boundaries of the castle start from the Cemcem Fountain, reach the Northern Gate through the back of the Timber Factory, and continue along the same route, ending at the lakeside. Early historical sources mention three entrances to the castle. Two of these gates have disappeared, and only the gate north of the Eşrefoğlu Complex has survived to the present day.

The only and original part of the castle, which was made of cut stone, is the main entrance gate in the north. The arch of the door, which is 2.80 m wide and 7 m high, is made of white and black stones. The first of the three marble inscriptions above the castle gate are the construction inscription belonging to the Eshrefid period. The construction inscription states that the castle was built in 1290 by the Emir Eşrefoğlu Seyfeddin Süleyman during the reign of Keykavusoğlu Mesut. The inscription reads as:  Great Emir Eşrefoğlu Seyfe'd-din Süleyman -God bless his helpers- ordered the construction of this blessed castle during the reign of the great Sultan Keykavusoğlu Mesud -God bless his property- the assistant of the religion and the world, in Jomada I, 689. It is understood that the other two inscriptions are repair inscriptions belonging to the Ottoman period.

During the cleaning works carried out in Beyşehir Castle, an underground passage "dromos" named was discovered 35 meters north of the bazaar. The corridor, which was built with rubble stone and measures 0.90 meters in width and 2.50 meters in height, was sealed with slabs of stone measuring approximately 0.50x1.60 meters. Determining the directions of the dromos through only a few drillings that open at certain intervals seems quite difficult. To ease the congestion inside the space, semi-circular waiting areas have been added at certain intervals to the dromos.

The historical castle gate, which has been in danger of being demolished recently, has been renovated by the Konya Museums Directorate with the works carried out since 2010.