Turkey: Bayburt Castle
Taking the road less traveled in Turkey, you can come across true gems that are not even mentioned in many or even any guidebooks. Like the abandoned and ruined but still super impressive Bayburt Castle above the dusty town of Bayburt in the mountains of the north of the Eastern Anatolia. Built on the 8th-10th century during the time this land was part of the Kingdom of Armenia under the Bahraini family. It was later fully rebuilt and further fortified by the Saltuk Kings, Turkmen rulers of Anatolia in the 11-13th centuries. At the height of construction and fortification, the Bayburt Castle had some of the most impressively massive and finely built walls in the whole of Anatolia. The castle was almost destroyed by the Russian army in the 19th century. You can have the whole castle likely to yourself – it’s mostly abandoned and ruined and you can explore it like an Indians Jones. Spectacular panoramic views of the city below!
