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05 June 2013

Castle at Mahmutlar is Being Left to the Cows

Mahmutlar Turkey, pictured by me in May this year. 

I'm a regular visitor to this area and I've long thought that something more should be made of these ancient castle(?) walls. I actually know very little about them. But I do feel that they should be a feature to be proud of, not left to wildly growing shrubbery, and the neatly planted cow pats from the random cows staked to the ground to prevent them wandering away (poor things).

It's in an area near to Alanya in the south of Turkey, an area increasingly enjoyed by people from many different countries, all looking for something to do, and somewhere to walk on a nice summer's day. So why not tend the area as a public garden, put up information plaques, and really make something of it?

Above: Taken in 2008, and here, below, is virtually the same angle in 2013  ...


This is a disgrace. Dumped, broken aquaduct. It is not the enticing family friendly entrance to the area that it should be.


Junked aquaduct piping that once brought water to irrigate the nearby orange groves and banana plants.


Builders rubbish is allowed to be tipped on the site of this ancient monument.

A cow staked to the ground bars the way of an intrepid archaeologist.


No explanation.

Someone is actually proud of their flag. But are they proud enough to care about their heritage?

Weeds and overgrown wild bushes disgrace the historical asset.

Banana plants and runner beans are allowed to run along the edge of what could be part of the castle ruins.





Year by year the surrounding banana plantations get smaller and smaller and the rapidly built high rise apartment block developments get closer and closer. It's just plain criminal to leave a heritage asset like this.


It's a shame.