Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the newly-restored Aydos Castle and Sultan Gardens, Erdoğan said: “Sultanbeyli has a special place in our hearts. We did not hear about this place only through false reports in newspapers and television news like some others. We have established and developed our affection towards Sultanbeyli by walking around every neighborhood and every street step by step since our youth.

Aydos Castle, locally known as Aydos Kalesi, lies on a hill above the town of Sultanbeyli, in the province of Istanbul in Turkey.

Aydos Castle was built, on a hill below Mount Aydos, by the Byzantines, probably during the late 11th or 12th century. It was probably built as part of a defensive network of castles all through Anatolia against the Turks after the Byzantine defeat at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. (ILKHA)