The registration process for the Armenian Cemetery in Şahinkaya, in central Elazığ, has now been completed. In a decision dated August 26, 2026, and numbered 12121, the Diyarbakır Regional Board for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, formally designated the cemetery, registered as block 150, parcel 1, as an Immovable Cultural Heritage Asset Requiring Protection.
According to the Board, the cemetery meets the criteria for protection under Law No. 2863 on the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage. It has been classified as a Group 1 cultural heritage site, while the boundaries of the protected area have been defined in a coordinated 1:1,000-scale site plan attached to the decision.
The decision also requires a notation to be entered in the land registry stating: “Group 1 Immovable Cultural Heritage Asset Requiring Protection and Protected Area.” From now on, any physical or construction-related activity within the cemetery or its protected area—including subdivision or consolidation of parcels, the creation of new parcels, and zoning or development works—will require approval from the Regional Board for the Protection of Cultural Heritage.
The registration follows an application submitted on July 22, 2026, by Arman Yağcı, a representative of Elazığ Armenian community. As part of the review process, the authorities sought opinions from the Elazığ Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, Elazığ Municipality’s Directorate of Planning and Urban Development, and the Malatya Regional Directorate of Foundations. Experts from the Diyarbakır Regional Board for the Protection of Cultural Heritage also conducted an on-site examination and assessment.
Surp Nışan Chapel also protected
Following an expert report dated July 30, along with the assessments submitted by the relevant institutions, the case was brought before the Regional Board for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, which decided on August 26 to register the cemetery as cultural heritage. The decision also placed the Surp Nışan Chapel, located within the cemetery grounds, under protection.
Following the decision, Patriarch Maşalyan called Arman Yağcı to congratulate him on the outcome.
