Engüzek Castle•Also known as Engüzekkapı Castle.•Located in the Uzundere district of Erzurum Province, Turkey.•The origins of this imposing structure remain a mystery, with no definitive historical records to clarify its construction.•There are three prominent theories about its builders: some believe the Genoese constructed it, others suggest it was the Byzantines, while a third theory attributes it to Turkish lords who ruled the region during the Middle Ages.•The castle was built using Khorasa