Niğde Castle

Niğde Castle is a historic castle located within the hill boundaries where the old city of Niğde in Niğde Province is situated.

Although the exact date of its initial construction is not certain, it is thought to have been built on historic foundations whose base stones date back to the 8th century BC. The second phase of construction, indicating the first half of the 10th century, surrounded Niğde Castle with three walls and is believed to have enclosed the hill on which the old city of Niğde stood. The castle consists of an outer castle and an inner castle surrounded by a thick wall. The historic castle has been damaged and destroyed many times throughout history. The castle underwent repair and restoration in 1740 and increased its importance during the Anatolian Seljuk period under Kılıçarslan II (1155-1192), Rüknettin Süleyman Şah II (1196-1204) and Alâeddin Keykubat I (1220‑1237), and was used as a prison in the Republican era.

The castle and the hill on which it stands are classified as a site area.

As of 2021, a restoration project for the area surrounding the castle has begun.

On the castle walls there is also a 41‑metre‑high clock tower built by Ziya Paşa in 1866.