Akçakiraz

Akçakiraz (former Perçenç, from the original Armenian Parchanj [Armenian: Բարջանճ])[1] is a belde (town) in the central district (Elazığ) of Elazığ Province, Turkey. Situated 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) south of Elazığ and near the junction of two Turkish state highways D.300 and D.885 which connect Elazığ to Bingöl and Diyarbakır respectively . The population of Akçakiraz stood at 6,506 in 2013.[2] Agriculture, cattle rising and light textile industry are among the economic activities of the town.

Akçakiraz
Town
Akçakiraz
Location in Turkey
Coordinates: 38°37′N 39°16′E
Country Turkey
ProvinceElazığ Province
DistrictElazığ central district
Elevation
920 m (3,020 ft)
Population
 (2013)
 • Total6,508
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
23180
Area code(s)0424
Licence plate23
ClimateCsa

According to the official municipality page the town was founded in 1670 by a certain İsmail Bey who was probably a member of Karakoyunlu dynasty (which had founded a short lived Turkmen empire in the 14th and 15th centuries).[3] Local Armenian tradition held that the town was founded by the Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew, patron saints of the Armenian Church. While the author of a study on the village finds this story to be apocryphal, he believes Armenians were the original founders of the village.[4] All the Armenians were expelled or massacred during the course of the Armenian Genocide of 1915.[5]

References
  1. Dzeron, Manoog B. Village of Parchanj: General History, 1600-1937. Fresno: Panorama West Books, 1984, p. 21.
  2. "Turkstat". Turkish Statistical Institute. Archived from the original on 26 January 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  3. Mayor's page (in Turkish)
  4. Dzeron. Village of Parchanj, pp. 18, 28-90.
  5. Dzeron. Village of Parchanj, pp. 213-19.
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