History and archaeology / Castle
Yazılıtaş Castle and Urartian Inscription
Horasan, Erzurum
Castle remains on a 2,240-meter rock mass near the village of Yazılıtaş in Horasan, and an Urartian cuneiform inscription carved at the foot of the rock.
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Its story
The inscription that gave the village its name (yazılı taş means 'inscribed stone') is carved on a rectangular surface cut into the rock, about 2.5-3 meters above the ground in the lower part of the rock on which the castle stands. Although it is not known for certain when the castle was built, it is thought to go back to the Urartian period because of the inscription. Its strategic position overlooking a mountain pass allowed the site to be used from antiquity to the Middle Ages. In the Middle Ages the historic Basiani region was within the borders of the Georgian Kingdom, and in the early 13th century the Battle of Basiani between Georgians and Turks took place here; the Ottomans took the region in 1545. Because of the harsh climate, the wall remains at the top of the rock have not been documented in detail. Visitors can see the inscription from the foot of the rock, while the castle remains are reached by a steep climb.
Key facts
- Period
- Urartian (inscription), Middle Ages (castle)
- Admission
- Free, open area
- Getting there
- By road from Horasan to Yazılıtaş village, about 1 km east of the village
- Visit duration
- 1-2 hours
Trip purpose
- Free
- Photography
- Day trip
Location
39.86743, 42.28591
Where to eat nearby
No food & drink venues listed nearby.
Map data: © OpenStreetMap contributors; Overture Maps
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Source: Web derlemesi (doğrulanmalı): https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaz%C4%B1l%C4%B1ta%C5%9F_Kalesi | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q133822443 | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2342035 | https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horasan,_Erzurum