Castle :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Castle

Turkey / Erzrum / Baberd / Baberd

Restoration

Its ramparts have been entirely restored: the old ones, which were laid with dark-colour stones, have been replaced with light-colour thin ones generally used in revetment. The local people have already spoiled the restored fortified wall with painted scribbles. Unfortunately, the damaging of monument walls with writings of varying contents is rather wide-spread in Armenia as well.

Hakobian Ashot, Archaeological Excavations and Restoration of Monuments in Western Armenia, in: "Vardzk", 2011, N 4, p. 17.

In 2007 the ramparts of the castle of Baberd bore an information board with the following texts:
(in Turkish): Bayburt Kalesi Kuruluşu 1. bine kadar uzanan kale bir çok uygarlıklara sahne olmuş, Türklerin eline geçmeden önce Roma, Ermeni, Bizans, Arap kommenos hakimiyetinde kalmıştır. Bayburt Kalesi anadolu kaleleri içinde oldukça sağlam kalan Selçuklu mimarisinin güzel örneklerinden birisidir. İlk defa Roma İmparatoru Justinien tarafından tahkim edilmiş, daha sonra Saltuklular zamanında yeniden başlatilan inşaat Erzurum Meliki Mugisüddin Tuğrul Şah tarafından 1200-1230 yılları arasında mükemmel şekilde tamamlattırılmıştır. Asil önemli olan bu kaleye “Çini Maçin” isminin verilmesine sebep olan çini süslemelerdir. Bunlar kalenin batı ve güney diş yüzeyinde tezyinat olarak mor firuze çiniler kullanılmıştır. Gerek savaşlar, gerekse tahribatlar yüzünden bu yerlerin dışında çinilerden eser kalmamıştır. (in English): The Bayburt castle. Established in the year of 1000, the castle had been a stage for many civilizations. Befor being conguered by Turks, Byzantine and Arabic commenos. The Bayburt castle, which is one of the most important reflections of the architecture of Seljuk, remained as a undestroyed structure among the castles of Anatolia. The castle had been fortified by Justinyanus, the Roma emperor. After that, the construction which was started by Saltuks had been completed in an excellent way by Mugisuddin Tu$rul &ah, the ruler of Erzurum, during the period of 1200-1230. Because of the tile ornaments, the castle had been named as “Tile Machin” the west and east sides of the castle had been decorated with purple turquoise tiles. As a result of wars and destruction, there is impossible to find tiles except these sides of the castle. Transl. from Turkish: Castle of Baberd. Founded in 1000, it became witness to many civilisations. Before its conquest by Turks, it was dominated by Rome, Armenians, Byzantians and Arabs. Amidst the castles of Anatolia, it is one of the well-preserved fine specimens of Seljuk architecture. It was first fortified by Roman Emperor Justinian. Later, under the Saltuklu, construction activity started here and was wonderfully completed in 1200 to 1230, in the days of Melik of Erzrum Mugisuddin Tughrul Shah. The stronghold was called Chini Machin, this name deriving from the stone tiles decorating it: the violet and sky-blue Dutch tiles were used for the embellishment of the western and northern sections of its exterior ramparts. Due to wars and devastation, no glazed tiles are preserved in other parts of the castle.

Kortoshian Raffi, What is Concealed in the Turkish Information Boards of Historical Monuments in Western Armenia?, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 5, pp. 9-10.

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2007 y․

Type Photo
View Partial view
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2007 y․

A partial view of the “restored” castle ramparts

Type Photo
View Partial view
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2007 y․

A partial view of the “restored” castle ramparts