Ecumenical Genocide Memorial, Berlin: Commemorative plate for Malatya / Melitene The city Malatya is located on the right bank of the Euphrates, about 10 km from the river, in a plain surrounded by mountains, about 940 m above sea level, southwest of the city of Harput. Historic Malatya was located 7-8 km south-west of modern Malatya. The development of Malatya was facilitated by its convenient geographical location and almost always being an administrative center at different historical times. It was located on the ‘royal avenue’ of the ancient road connecting Susa, the capital of Persia, with the Mediterranean Sea. Later, caravan routes [...]
Archives: Regions
Our CPT for the regions
Kaza Mazgirt / Mazgird / Mazkert / Մեձկերտ – Medzkert
Ruins of the Mazgirt Fort The administrative seat of the kaza, Mazgirt town, has a number of interesting buildings, such as an abandoned castle, an old Mosque, and an Armenian church, the restoration of which was promised in Yerevan by the president of the Federation of Dersim Non-Governmental Organizations in 2015.[1] In 2018, the mayor of Mazgirt, Tekin Türkel, advocated for the decaying Armenian church of Gölbağin to be restored and used again for worship; he also justified this, as is currently common in Turkey, with the benefit for tourism: “(…) We built our cemevi here with the contributions of the municipality, institutions and [...]
Kaza Hozat / Խոզաթ – Khozat’
The administrative center of the kaza of same name, Hozat, is located in central Dersim on the right tributary of the Aradzan River (Arsanias in Antiquity; Trk.: Murat Su), at the source of one of the right tributaries of the Peri (Berri) River, about 42 km north of the provincial capital Harput, on a water-rich high plateau. It was surrounded by dense gardens, and 2-3 km north of the village there were forested areas. It has been said since ancient times that Hozat was a crowded and well-built settlement in the past. In the Middle Ages, Hozat was an important fortified [...]
Kaza Çarsancak / Չարսանջակ – Charsanjak / Akpazar
The kaza of Çarsancak was located in the southern valley of Dersim, with the village Berri (Peri) as its administrative seat. It was a plain area, with mountains in the north und the Aradzan River (Trk.: Murat Su) as its southern border. The rivers Berri (Peri) and Mndzur (Munzur) flow through the kaza. The kaza has many springs, fertile soil, abundant vegetation, vast pastures and forests. Munzur Valley Toponym The place-name Charsanjak originated from the words ‘chahar’ and ‘sanjak’, meaning “four districts”, or sancaks. Population The kaza Çarsancak had the largest Armenian population of Dersim. According to the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, on the eve [...]
Kaza Çemişgezek / Չմշկածագ – Chmshkadzag / Hierapolis / Hieropolis
The kaza’s administrative seat is located on the left bank of the river of same name (Chmshkadzak), which is the right tributary of the Aradzan (Trk.: Murat) River, in a mountainous, forested area, at 1,300 m above sea level. The city is built in an amphitheater like concave. Toponym The Armenian name of the city and kaza of Chmshkadzag derives from Byzantine general and emperor of Armenian descent, Hovhannes Chmshkik (Հովհաննես Չմշկիկ; Grk: Ἰωάννης ὁ Τζιμισκής – Ioannis I Tsimiskes), who was born here. Before, it was known as Hierapolis, or Hieropolis (‘holy city’). Pastor (kahane) Hovhannes and family from the Hazar village, Çemişgezek [...]