Hançerkale

Hançerkale (literally "dagger castle") is the popular name given to a Byzantine observation tower ruin in Mersin Province, Turkey.

Geography

The tower is situated next to a mosque, in Ovacık village of Silifke district. It is 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) north of the Turkish state highway D.400. It is accessible by an all-seasons open road. Its distance to Silifke is 17 kilometres (11 mi) and to Mersin is 97 kilometres (60 mi)

Building

Although the popular name of the ruin is castle, actually it was a 5.3 metres (17 ft)-tall observation tower built in the 6th century. The walls had been built by polygonal masonry technique. There are reliefs of a Dioskuri helmet, a shield, a sword and Herculus' Club on the southern wall.