Kechror Castle :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Kechror Castle

Turkey / Kars /

In 2008 an information board could be seen near the entrance to Kechror Castle with the following text in Turkish:
(in Turkish): Keçivan Kalesi M.Ö.650-M.S.16 yılları arasında, Kafkaslardan gelerek Aras boylarına yerleşen Saka Türkleri`nin hükümdarı Alp-Er Tunga`nın yaylaklarından olduğu rivayet edilen bu kalenin adı, çeşitli cenk hikayelerinde geçmektedir. Arsaklılar döneminde, Artageyra adıyla da anılan Keçivan Kalesi, M.S.5 yılında Romalılara bağlanmıştır. M.S.618 yıllarında, Kars bölgesinde adı bilinen bu tek şehir, Oğuzlar`dan Kamsarakan beyleri`nin malikhanesi olmuştur. Abbasi halifesi El Mustansır Billah hükmünde iken, Moğol Hulağu Han`ın Harapetli-İbuşehir, Karakoyunlu Karayusuf tarafından Mamur edilmiş, Timur tarafından tekralr yapılmıştır. 1579`da Osmanlılar`ın eline geçerek onarılan Keçivan Kalesi 1828 Türk-Rus savaşlarında kuşatılarak toplarla yıkılmıştır. Tek kapılı şehir ile anılan Keçivan Adı 1960 sonunda Tunçkaya olarak değiştirildi. Transl.: Castle of Kechivan [The site of] this fort is said to have been one of the pastures of Alper Tunga, the leader of Saka Turks (Iskit) who came from Caucasia and took up living in the Arax valleys between 650 B.C. and 16 A.D. It is mentioned in different heroic fairy tales. It was also called ‘Artageira’ in the Arshaklies’ times, and shifted into Roman rule in the 5th century. In 618 A.D. it (namely, Kechror - translator) was the only city throughout the district of Kars the name of which was known. At that time, it belonged to the princes Kamsarakan descending from the Oghuz. Under Caliph Abbasi El-Mustanser Billah, it was destroyed by Mongol Khan Hulaghu. Later Kara Yusuf of the Kara Koyunli [tribe] renovated it, and Timur reconstructed it. In 1579 the castle shifted into the Ottomans’ rule and underwent repairs. During the Russo-Turkish war of 1828, it was sieged by the Russians and ruined by guns. The name of ‘Kechivan,’ which is mentioned as a city with only a single gate, was changed into Tunchkaya in 1960.

Kortoshian Raffi, What is Concealed in the Turkish Information Boards of Historical Monuments in Western Armenia?, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 5, pp. 7-8.

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2008 y․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the west
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative

The towers adjoining the gateway of the fortress town