The fortress is situated on a hill on the western outskirts of Silifke, the ancient Seleukeia ad Calycadnum. It served to control the westbound road from Cilicia and the northbound road along Kalykadnos over the Taurus.

The exact construction time of the fortification is not known. It was built in Byzantine times on the site of an ancient acropolis under the name Kastron Seleukeias. Despite Arab attacks, it remained in Byzantine possession until it was occupied by crusaders in 1098. Then it belonged alternately to Byzantium and to the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, until in 1210 the Armenian King Leon II handed it over to the Hospitallers along with the city of Seleukia and the western castle of Norpert (Tokmar Kalesi). When the Knights of the Order gave up the property in 1226, the castle was taken over again by the Armenians and renewed and remained in their hands. From the 14th century Silifke belonged to the principality of the Caramanids.

In September 2017 Silifke Kalesi was closed for renovation. The renovations were not yet completed in 2018 and will certainly continue in 2019. In the previous studies the settlement of the citadel was uncovered. In 2018 the excavations between the moat and the city wall were carried out.