Site: Bağras
Country: Turkey
Region: Cilicia, South-Central Turkey
Location : 36° 25’ N, 36° 13’ E
Cultures: Arab, Crusader, Armenian, Byzantine, Mamluk
Description:

Bağras [Arm: Bałras; Grk: Pagrai; Frank: Gastun, Bagaras, Gaston, Gastin, or Guaston] is a large and very impressive Crusader (Templar) castle built over earlier Omayyad and Byzantine foundations, with undeniable evidence of late 12th c. Armenian additions.  The Templar construction extended over many decades during the 13th c.  This site, which is built on three main levels, controlled the route south of the Belen Pass as well as the strategic highway from Antioch to the Cilicia Pedias, but did not have inter-visibility with the fortresses in Cilicia Pedias.

Ref: Bağras, pp. 415-455; Expedition, Ch. 11; Castles, pp. 48-49; Cilician, pp. 35-49; Châteaux, pp. 118-120; Mamluks, pp. 54, 59, 91-92.

Alternate Site Names and Spellings: Baghras, Bałras, Պաղրաս, Pagrai, Gastun, Bagaras, Gaston, Gastin, Guaston, Bagras, Πάγραι