Where’s the Maiden?
The castle at Kızkalesi (KUHZ-kah-leh-see, Maiden’s Castle), between Alanya and Silifke on the Turkish Mediterranean, is just far enough out in the chill waters of the Turkish Mediterranean that strong swimmers can make it there and back without much worry.
Which is why the legend makes no sense.
It’s the standard maiden-in-a-castle legend: sorcerer puts curse on maiden, Dad puts her in impregnable castle so the curse can’t come true, curse comes true anyway, etc…. But if anyone can swim out to the castle, what good is it?
Stuff of legends. The castle dates from the crusaders and seemed a good use of the little island at the time.
Today, had the island been empty, it would be a resort hotel. So a castle is better after all.
In fact, come to think of it, a castle is usually better, maiden or no maiden.
| Kızkalesi |  |
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