The natural setting and scale of this castle make it the most imposing one we've come across so far in our travels.
Impressive as a fortress and impeccably beautiful as a palace. The carving in the stonework is almost unbelievable. We took so many photos. Too many beautiful ones to post, so this post will focus on the exterior and we'll save the interior for another day.
The closer you get to the castle, the more you appreciate its scale.
There are a couple of gates to pass before you get past the walls and ramparts and finally reach the palace.
Once inside, you past through a number of courtyards. Each is rectangular and flanked by multi-storey buildings. The most remarkable part is the stone carving that comprises the exterior of the buildings. Much of the exterior is covered by carved stone screens. You get some of the detail in the second photo below. Each screen is carved from a single piece of sandstone and each is unique. It is possible to see out of the stone screens, but not in. This style was chosen to prevent outsiders from seeing the Sultan's harem but not preventing them from seeing outside.
Impeccable detail everywhere and throughout.
A view looking back at the city across the layered battlements.
