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.