Gaziantep Citadel, 1600 BC - 1178 BC.
Gaziantep Castle (in Kurdish Diluk Castle) is a castle built on a hill in the center of the city of Diluk (Gaziantep), located in western Kurdistan, The castle was built in a circular shape, its area is 1200 meters, its walls are made of stone blocks, and it has 12 towers and bastions. Although it is not known when the Citadel of Gaziantep was built, it is known that it was used for observation purposes during the Hittite period. The Citadel of Gaziantep represented the most important observation point for the Hittite army under the rule of the Emperor (Supiluliuma I), who, in the middle of the fourteenth century BC, included most parts of Anatolia, the northern parts of the Levant, and the western parts of Kurdistan under his control. The Hittites achieved great victories because of their strength and military strategy, which relied on war chariots in attack, and on fortified castles for defense. The Citadel of Gaziantep was one of the fortresses that contributed to the retreat of their enemies. After the fall of the Hittite state, which was called (Khattusha Kingdom) in the year 1178 BC, the Citadel of Gaziantep came under the control of the Assyrians. And after the fall of the Assyrian state in the year 612 BC, the fortress of Gaziantep was subjected to the control of the Medes. And after the fall of the Median state in the year 550 BC, the Citadel of Gaziantep remained steadfast with the succession of many empires over Kurdistan, so that the Citadel witnessed the passage of the Achaemenids, Macedonians, Greeks and Romans, And during the era of the Roman Empire, the castle underwent further expansion and renovation. During the reign of Emperor Justinian I, between the years 527 and 565 AD, the perimeter of the castle became round with 12 towers, while preserving its stone walls, to be used in the first mission for which it was built. Gaziantep Castle has been restored several times throughout history and took its final shape with its restoration in the early decade of the twenty-first century AD, Gaziantep Citadel was included in the UNESCO list of creative cities, as one of the most prominent historical monuments, and it is considered the first castle built by the Hittite Empire, Most parts of Gaziantep Citadel collapsed during the earthquake that hit the northwestern provinces of Kurdistan on 02/06/2023.[1] [2]