200-Year-Old Gemli Redoubt in Kars is in Neglected Condition

The approximately 200-year-old historical Gemli Redoubt in Kars, which is among the rare examples in Turkey with its original crescent and horseshoe-shaped architecture, faces destruction due to a lack of necessary maintenance.

Original Architecture of the Historical Structure

Although the approximately 200-year-old Gemli Redoubt in Kars, which has survived from the Ottoman period to the present day, draws attention with its original architecture, it now resists time with an abandoned appearance.

The historical structure, shown among the rare redoubt examples in Turkey with its structure resembling a crescent and a horseshoe, reveals its extraordinary plan more clearly when viewed from the air.

Its Important Place in Military History

Built in 1854 by Kerim Pasha, Gemli Redoubt undertook a critical role in the defense of Kars and reflects the military engineering understanding of the period.

The redoubt was actively used during the 1854 Ottoman-Russian War, the 1877-1878 Russo-Turkish War, and the conflicts between 1918 and 1920.

Its Different Uses in the Past

Having a history of approximately two centuries, Gemli Redoubt was also used as a women's prison for a period, in addition to its military function.

Serving various purposes in different periods, this historical structure contains important traces regarding the city's recent history and processes of change.

The Problem of Neglect and Destruction

Due to the failure to carry out sufficient maintenance and conservation work over the years, a serious level of destruction has occurred in Gemli Redoubt.

Over time, some of the walls of the structure have collapsed, and collapses and noticeable deformations have occurred in its interior sections.