Palu Castle and Urartian Rock Inscription (Palu Inscription)

Palu Castle (Palu Kalesi) has been built during the Urartian period, and from this civilization dating back to the 8th century BCE, many artifacts such as the Urartian Rock Inscription, rock tombs, rock tunnels, altars, water cisterns, rock stairs and rock warehouses have survived. Thanks to its construction on a steep rock and its southern and southeastern fronts surrounded by the Murat River, Palu Castle has been protected from invasions and has survived to this day. There is the Urartian Rock Inscription, also known as the Palu Inscription, on the northeast facade of Palu Castle. In this inscription, which dates to almost 3,000 years, King Menua’s conquests in the region, the agreement he made with the King of Malatya and establishment of a temple are mentioned. The inscription sheds light on the lifestyle, culture, belief features, and political life of the period.