Korykos, Mersin  2005

Corycus (Korykos) was an ancient city in Cilicia Trachea, Anatolia, located at the mouth of the valley called Seytan deresi; the site is now occupied by the town of Kizkalesi (formerly Ghorgos), Mersin Province, Turkey. Corycus was also a mint in antiquity and some of its coins survive. Corycus was controlled by the Byzantine Empire. Justinian restored the public baths and a hospital. The admiral Eustathios Kymineianos re-fortified the island on the orders of Alexios Komnenos at the beginning of the 12th century, adding a supplementary castle on a small island. This castle was later called "maidens castle", because it was told that a king held his daughter here in captivity until she was killed by a venomous snake. It was prophesied she would die by a snake bite. So she was taken to the sea castle to protect her, but a serpent was taken by basket to the castle, she was bitten and died. Corycus was conquered by the Armenians soon after it was rebuilt by the Byzantines. Until the mid-14th century, the Armenians held both the mainland and island castles, which guarded this strategic port for the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. Kizkalesi (castle) on the island has the extensive remains of Armenian rebuilding. The island was once connected to the mainland fort by a breakwater. The ruins of the city are extensive. Among them are a triumphal arch, a necropolis with a beautiful Christian tomb, sarcophagi, etc. The two medieval castles, one on the shore, the other in an islet, connected by a ruined pier, are partially preserved. Three churches are also found, one decorated with frescoes. In the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade, Corycus became the seat of Latin Church bishops, one of whom, named Gerardus, took part in a council at Antioch in 1136.
In the Corycian Cave (now Cennet ve Cehennem), 20 stadia inland, says Strabo, the best crocus (saffron) grows. He describes this cave as a great hollow, of a circular form, surrounded by a margin of rock, on all sides of a considerable height; on descending into this cavity, the ground is found to be uneven and generally rocky, and it is filled with shrubs, both evergreen and cultivated; in some parts, the saffron is cultivated: there is also a cave here which contains a large source, which pours forth a river of pure, pellucid water, but it immediately sinks into the earth, and flowing underground enters the sea: they call it the Bitter Water. (Source: en.wikipedia.org)