Erzincan, Turkey

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Despite being devastated time and again by earthquakes (1471 large areas destroyed, 1667 half the city in ruins, 1782 more than 10,000 inhabitants killed), Erzincan has always been rebuilt. After the severe earthquake of 1939, which cost 15,600 lives and left virtually nothing standing, the city was re-sited a little further to the north. The last severe 'quake occurred in 1991. This too caused great damage and 1,000 people lost their lives. Reconstruction is well under way. Erzincan - once known for its silverware - is a road and rail junction with modest food processing (sugar) and textile industries. Because of the altitude cold, snowy winters and cool summers typify the climate of the region.

History

Little information is available about Erzincan's early history. It is situated not far from the Old Armenian city of Erek and claims to be the site of the principal temple of the Old Persian god Anahita (some of whose characteristics are shared by the Greek goddess Artemis). According to tradition the cult statue was taken from the temple by Cleopatra, wife of Tigranes the Great (95-55 B.C.). Until the 12th century Erzincan seems to have been a town of no great importance. Under the Seljuk Sulëiman Kutulmusoglu I (1071) it passed to the Mengüçoglu dynasty and in 1243 was destroyed in the fighting between the Seljuks (Keykusrev II) and Mongols. Between 1916 and 1918 it was under Russian occupation.