Ayasuluk Castle dates back to Byzantine times. The close proximity to the Basilica of St. John allowed the protection of the nearby settlement and place of pilgrimage, the grave of St. John the Apostle. The defensive walls included the upper castle located on a hill and the area around the basilica. The walls contained 17 towers and were 1 mile/ 1.5 km long. Stones from the nearby ancient Greek and Roman city of Ephesus were used to build the castle. When the Turks took control of the Ayasuluk Castle, the nearby town had already been in decline. The castle was abandoned in the 18th century.
