The castle was home to Urartians, Persians, Hellenes, Romans, Seljuks and Mengücekids
In Tunceli, the 2,800-year-old Pertek Castle, which was built on a hill during the Urartian period and gained an island appearance when it was flooded by the Keban Dam Lake in 1974, was discovered when the water level of the dam dropped due to drought.
Pertek Castle, built by the Urartians on a pointed hill on the banks of the Murat River in the 8th century BC, was flooded by the Keban Dam in 1974 and became an island. The castle, which is one of the important historical and touristic values of Pertek district, was home to the Urartians as well as the Persians, Hellenes, Romans, Seljuks and Mengücekids.
The 2,800-year-old castle, which was repaired during the Ottoman Empire, consists of two intertwined walls, while there are remains of buildings between the walls. There are cisterns and building ruins inside the red hard bricks and blue tiles interspersed between the chipped stones on the south facade of the castle.
The historical castle is within sight of Harput Castle in Elazığ and Sağman Castle in Pertek district. While those traveling from Elazığ to Tunceli enjoy taking photos with the view of the castle, those who want to visit the castle use the excursion boats at the ferry pier. Various projects are being carried out by Pertek District Governorship with the support of Tunceli Governorship in order to bring the castle, which also contributes to the promotion of the district, to tourism.
Within the scope of the recently accelerated projects, the construction of a restaurant and café in the area where the castle is located, which is aimed to be the attraction center of the region, has come to an end.
Drought has exposed the nizamiyya
The guardhouse on the shore of the Pertek slope of the Pertek Castle, located in the middle of the blue waters of the Keban Dam Lake, which has an area of 675 square kilometers determining the border between Elazığ and Tunceli, emerged this year when the dam water level dropped due to the drought in the city. It was learned that the nizamiye, built with stones, was used as a checkpoint for soldiers and visitors to the castle at that time and as a watchtower for agricultural lands. Residents of the district, who had the opportunity to see the emergence of the guardhouse, said that this was the second time since the establishment of the Keban Dam, which has a 51-year history.
The post The waters receded, revealing the 2,800-year-old island-like Pertek Castle’s nizizamiyesi appeared first on NSF News and Magazine.