Charek Castle :: ARTSAKH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Charek Castle

Azerbaijan / Northern Artsakh / Getabek / Getabek

Location

The stronghold towers on a rock that forms the end of a mountain branch extending like a cape at the confluence of the rivers Shamkor (Charek) and Getabak, at an altitude of 1,110 metres above sea level, and at an absolute altitude of 100 metres above the river bank.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 223.

Historical Introduction
1206 y․

As attested by a record, in the year 1206 of the Armenian era (655), the princes Zakarian “...took the royal residence of Kars as well as Getabak and Charek...” The castle was liberated by Ivane Zakarian: “And Ivane, a great war-lord famous for his courage, re-conquered Charek and put it under the sway of his relative Vahram’s son Zakaria...” A record of 1224 mentions “...Ayrarat Province and Khachen up to Charek” as “belonging to Ivane the Atabak...”

History by Vardan Vardapet. Venice, 1862, p. 138, 140.
Also see Hovhannissian, H. M. The Castles of Armenia. Venice, 1970, pp. 509-510, in Armenian.
Colophons of the Armenian Manuscripts of the 13th century. Compiled by Matevossian, A. Yerevan, 1984, p. 140.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 223.

In the 13th century, Charek fell into the Mongols’ dominion: “...Charek, Getabak and Vardanashat... went to Ghatagha Noyin.” While writing about these events, Gandzaketsy mentions “...Charek and Getabak...” among the other strongholds conquered by the Mongols.

History by Vardan Vardapet. Venice, 1862, p. 144.
History of Armenia by Kirakos Gandzaketsy. Prepared for publication by Melik-Ohanjanian K. Yerevan, 1961, p. 243.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 223.

The subsequent sources keep silence about the stronghold, which comes to suggest that with the Mongol conquest, it lost its strategic significance.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 223.

Description
19 c․

In the late 19th century, several topographers visited the castle, but they confined themselves to very brief descriptions of the monument, some of them making only passing reference to it. Below follows one of them: “On a wooded rock located on the bank of the fast-flowing river Shamkhor, on the road leading from the monastery to Gandzak, within about two versts of this monument towers a castle. It is entirely built of red burnt brick and has high towers and solid ramparts. It is named Shamkhor Castle after the river, but the Turks call it Mamur Kalasi...”

Smbat M. Antiquities in the Neighbourhood of Getabek. In: “Nor-Dar,” 1893, No. 36, p. 2, in Armenian.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 224.

Type Photo
View General
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․

The stronghold seen from the valley of the river Shamkor

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1980 — 1982 yy․