Yılankale

Located on the historical Silk Road that crosses the Taurus Mountains to Antakya, Yılan Castle was built by the Byzantines during the Crusader occupation of Çukurova in the Middle Ages. The castle, which includes other castles on the plain such as Anavarza, Tumlu and Kozan Castles, has eight round bastions. The terraces can be reached with stone steps starting from the guardhouse gate located in the south of the castle. The garrison of the castle, which has a church and a cistern, is located at the top. The castle, which was built on steep rocks, has an important artistic value.

The castle, formerly known as Govara (Kovara), was named Şahmeran Castle in the 17th century by the famous Turkish traveler Evliya Çelebi, since it was accepted as the place where the legend of Şahmeran took place in the region. This building, which later became the Snake Castle, has been a difficult castle to conquer with its strong walls, bastions, the castle square can be reached after three doors, and the portable stairs connecting the doors to each other. Wall ruins belonging to Byzantine, Crusader and Armenian repairs can be seen on the building. Armenian repairs are evident on sills, window and door vaults. An Armenian inscription documenting these repairs is also present on the building.