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There is only person living now introducing himself as Armenian, except for the Armenians Islamized, in Kayseri whose one third of the population consisted of non-Muslims at the end of 19th century.
Even though the Rum and Armenian population has been annihilated during the course of time, there still some historical buildings belonging to non-Muslims hanging there. Besides, despite external threats such as systematical looting, floods, treasure hunting, etc.
So, Hrant Dink Foundation has prepared a book titled “Kayseri with Armenian and Rum Cultural Assets” to carry this presently resisting buildings to a future when they can be restored.
181 buildings monitored on-site
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| Armenian church in Bünyan center has been turned into İbrahim Bey Mosque. |
First of all, Rum and Armenian buildings were visited in field research. Zeynep Oğuz from Hrant Dink Foundation said that only 181 out of 377 buildings could be monitored on site. Physical traces of 208 of them couldn’t be found. 113 of the 181 buildings are Armenian, and 68 of them are Rum.
Heritage is preserved by efforts of social memory
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| Ayios Efstatios Rum Church in Yarım neighborhood |
Oğuz has highlighted that determination of these buildings is a photo of 2015 but because of the rapidly increasing destruction, it is a riddle how many of these buildings will remain by two years.
"Even though history of Kayseri is very rich, very few sources can be found regarding its history. Official inventory should increase. Universities, museums have to develop a discourse saying non-Muslims are an inseparable part of this city. The heritage may be preserved only by efforts of local community, social memory".
18 buildings must immediately be taken under preservation
| Panayia Church in Germir village of Melikgazi district was build in 1837. |
Banu Pekol from Association of Preserving Cultural Heritage has conveyed that among the buildings they determined, they bring forward suggestions towards the risks by taking inventory of 18 buildings which have high architectural value and carry the risk of vanishing.
“All of these buildings are registered. However, them being registered doesn’t entail that they are under preservation. These buildings will be destroyed if not protected. They face threats like fire, flooding, vandalism. Treasure hunting is very wide spread as well in the Anatolia. They are all abandoned, don’t even have locks. Everyone can enter and leave freely. Everywhere is being dug, there are serious damages”.
Treasure is above the ground, not under it
“We have made this research by aid of local community. Our goal is to show them that the treasure is above the ground, not under it”, added Oğuz.
The book “Kayseri with Armenian and Rum Cultural Assets” consists of three chapters. The first chapter includes articles about the history of the city, the second chapter includes inventory of Rum and Armenian buildings with photos, and the third chapter includes risk analysis prepared by Association of Preserving Cultural Heritage of the 18 building that must be right away taken under protection.
You may have the book free of charge at Hrant Dink Foundation. (NV/TK)
