The Castle of Afyonkarahisar (Turkish: Afyonkarahisar Kalesi) is a historical fortification, which was built around 1350 BC and is located in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey.[1][2] While Afyonkarahisar Castle (Literally: "Black Opium Castle" Fortress) refers specifically to the defensive fortification, Afyonkarahisar refers to the town containing the structure, and was renamed from Afyon to Afyonkarahisar in 2004.[3]
The Hittite king Mursilis II built the original structure on the summit of a 226 meter high rock (from ground level) overlooking the modern town of Afyonkarahisar, due to its value as a defensive fortification.[3] Since the construction of the original, the castle has been rebuilt several times by various rulers. The most recent reconstruction was conducted by the Turkish government.[when?][3][clarification needed]