Ünye Castle

Ünye Castle is a historical structure located in the Ünye district of Ordu province in Türkiye’s Black Sea Region. It is also known as Çaleoğlu Castle or Kaleköy Castle. The castle is situated at the 7th kilometer of the Ünye-Niksar road, on the left side of the route, within the boundaries of Kale Köyü. It is approximately 5 to 7 kilometers from the district center. The hill on which the castle stands is about 300 meters above sea level.

Ünye Castle's construction dates back to around 250 BCE. It was built by Mithridates II, ruler of the Iranian-origin Kingdom of Pontus. The structure has been used by various peoples throughout history and underwent repairs in different periods. It served military and strategic purposes during the Roman, Pontic, Byzantine and Ottoman eras. During the Ottoman period, the castle’s entrance gate was constructed and its walls were last reinforced.

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The castle is largely built upon a single massive rock formation. On this natural structure, various walls, passageways, rock-cut tombs, caves and structural remains are found. Surrounding the castle is a four-stage wall system. Inside the castle, water cisterns, bathhouse remnants, water channels and various architectural traces have been identified.

On the left side of the castle entrance, at a height of approximately 8 meters above ground level, a rock-cut tomb has been carved into the main rock. This tomb follows the Paphlagonian rock-tomb style and is generally attributed to Mithridates II of Pontus. Additionally, royal tombs have been carved into vertical cliffs about 10 meters above the castle’s vicinity.

At the upper part of the castle, two passageways extend in the northwestern direction. One of them was constructed with a 45-degree incline and contains approximately 420 steps. These passageways are believed to have provided access to the lower sections or exterior of the castle. It is known that during the Roman-Pontic wars, the Roman commander Pompey destroyed these passageways by blocking them with large rock fragments, rendering them unusable.

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During the early Christian period, the central section of the castle was used as a sacred area, and a church is known to have existed there. The columns on either side of the entrance rock tomb were removed during this period and frescoes were painted on the walls. The castle also contains caves, wells and various infrastructure elements used to access water sources.

During the Republican era, the Turkish flag was raised at the castle. Today, the castle holds archaeological and touristic value. Access to the castle from Ünye city center is possible by private vehicle or taxi. An asphalt road leads to the site, but there is no regular minibus service. The castle can be reached by turning off the Ünye-Niksar highway onto a one-kilometer road.

Under a protocol signed with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, archaeological excavations at the castle are planned to begin.

According to Professor John Frelly of Boğaziçi University, the castle referred to as "Atmaca Castle" in the 14th-century novel "Mélusine" by Jean d’Arras is Ünye Castle. The novel recounts the story of a queen held captive within the castle.