Qal'at ar-Rum

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The Qal'at ar-Rum was a powerful fortress on the river Euphrates, 50 km northeast of Gaziantep, Turkey. It is called Rumkale in Turkish, Hromgla in Armenian; the word in all cases means "Roman (ie. Byzantine) Castle".

The strategic location was already known to the Assyrians, although the present structure is largely Hellenistic and Roman in origin. The site was occupied by various Byzantine and Armenian warlords during the Middle Ages. Qal'at ar-Rum served as the seat of an Armenian patriarch from the 12th century. From 1203 to 1293 it was the residence of the supreme head (catholicos) of the reunified Armenian church. In 1293 it was captured by the Mamelukes of Egypt following a protracted siege.

The fortress is currently a ruin accessible by boat only from the neighboring town of Halfeti.


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