One of the main symbols of the city, the Fortress, crowns Kastamonu from a commanding height. It is located in the south-western part of the city and its construction originates from the times of Komenos dynasty of the Byzantine Empire in the 12th century C.E. The original outer walls of the Fortress had long disappeared in the 1700s. Because the Fortress had seen many reconstructions in recent times, it has the attributes of an Ottoman fortress instead of a medieval Byzantine construction. The Fortress is about 120 meters high from the rest of the city, and because of there is an asphalt road up to its gates access is rather easy. Inside the fortress there are water wells, escape tunnels, jail and a tomb called “Bayraklı Sultan.”