Zerzevan

The history of the area dates back to the Assyrian period. During the Persian period, its location on the Royal Road made it important for securing the route. Archaeological findings indicate that the fortress gained particular importance as a military settlement from the 3rd century CE onwards.

With its long defensive walls, watchtowers, church, administrative building, armoury, residential buildings and water cisterns, Zerzevan Kalesi formed a comprehensive military living area within its walls. Streets and roads, underground structures and rock-cut tombs have also been uncovered, revealing traces of the daily lives of soldiers and other residents. The fortress was repaired and some of its structures were rebuilt during the reigns of Anastasios I and Justinianos I. It remained in use until 639 CE.

One of the features that makes Zerzevan especially significant in world archaeology is the Mithras Kutsal Alanı (Mithras Sanctuary) located within the fortress. Carved into the bedrock and built underground, this temple is described as the only known Mithras temple on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire. The Mithras belief system was a mysterious religion that spread throughout the Roman world, particularly among soldiers. The sanctuary at Zerzevan sheds light on the rituals of this belief system and the religious diversity of the Roman period. The fortress and its Mithraeum (a temple of the Mithras cult) were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2020.