Rize Çamlıhemşin'de Tarihi İki Yapı: Kale-i Hemşin Zir ve Kale-i Hemşin Bala
Two Historical Buildings in Çamlihemşin in Rize: Kale-i Hemşin Zir and Kale-i Hemşin Bala

Summary/Abstract: Rize being one of the important cities of the Eastern Black Sea Region became a very substantial center in terms of politics and military especially during the time of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Emperor I. Justinian (527-565). Although many castles, particularly Rize Castle were built within the provincial borders to provide the security of the region, solely seven castles reached the present day. Zir Castle and Kale-i Bala being among these castles are located within the borders of Çamlıhemşin district. The castles are on an important historical route providing the transition between the coastal area and the hinterland. Within this scope, both of the castles constitute the important rings of the chain of castles built on the roads starting from the coastline to the hinterlands at certain intervals in order toprovide the security of the route and to communicate. These castles whose construction time and whose constructor cannot be clarified exactly were registered in Ottoman archive documents as Kale-i Hemşin Zir (The Lower Hemşin Castle) and Kalei Hemşin Bala (The Upper Hemşin Castle). These structures being generally researched by foreign researchers are reevaluated and are brought a different approach to the subject of dating with this study. The incomplete and inaccurate plan of Lower Castle being generated by the previous studies is regenerated by reconsidering it. In addition, the plan of Upper Castle was drawn for the first time and the plan and architectural features of the castle were evaluated.

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