Çandır Castle

Çandır Castle is a medieval fortress located in Mersin Province, Turkey, situated in the Toros Mountains at an altitude of 1,125 meters, approximately 40 kilometers north of Mersin. The castle may be identified with the Byzantine fort of Paperon, allegedly built by Byzantine Emperor Zeno in the 5th century, though this identification lacks archeological evidence. The fortress was constructed by Byzantines and Armenians and rose to prominence during the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia from the 12th through the 14th centuries, when it served as a seat of Het'umid power and controlled two important roads to Central Anatolia.

The castle features impressive architectural remains including a two-story residence and a partially surviving church, both constructed with finely executed polished stones. Access to the fortress is gained through a partially vaulted staircase of approximately 140 steps carved into the vertical side of the plateau, with an inclined plane running parallel for hauling purposes. Çandır Castle served as the residence of numerous Armenian nobles and kings, including the notable scholar and diplomat Sempad the Constable.

Today, most of the castle has been demolished, though portions of the church and residence remain partially standing. The site is open to the public and functions as an archeological site. The fortress was surveyed in 1979 by Robert Edwards, who published a comprehensive archaeological and historical assessment with detailed plans in 1987, providing valuable documentation of this important medieval Armenian site.