Pertek (Pêrtag): A Castle by the Lake
- Mero Ranyayi
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
Pertek (Kurdish: Pêrtag) is a Kurdish town in Tunceli Province in eastern Turkey, in the Dersim region, set on the shores of the great reservoir formed by the Keban Dam. Its emblem is Pertek Castle, a medieval fortress that once guarded the valley and now rises from a rocky islet in the lake — a haunting sight where history and water meet. A town of the Zaza and Kurdish highlands, Pertek blends old stone with a changed, watery landscape.
Set in the storied country of Dersim, Pertek is a place where a flooded valley reshaped an ancient town. This profile looks at its castle, its lake, and its history.
Key Takeaways
• Pertek (Kurdish: Pêrtag) is a Kurdish town in Tunceli Province in the Dersim region of eastern Turkey.
• It sits on the reservoir formed by the Keban Dam on the Euphrates.
• Its landmark is Pertek Castle, a medieval fortress now standing in the lake.
• The damming of the valley reshaped the town and its surroundings.
• Pertek lies in the Zaza and Kurdish, largely Alevi, country of Dersim.
Quick Facts
Name (Kurdish): Pêrtag
Name (Turkish): Pertek
Country / Region: Turkey (Bakur)
Province: Tunceli (Dersim)
Setting: On the Keban reservoir
Landmark: Pertek Castle
People: Zaza and Kurdish, largely Alevi
Character: A historic lakeside town
Contents
Where Is Pertek?
Pertek lies in the south of Tunceli Province, on the northern shore of the Keban reservoir, facing the country of Elazığ across the water and the Kurdish highlands toward Bingöl to the east. The damming of the Euphrates turned the old river valley here into a broad lake, and Pertek now sits where the waters lap against the hills of southern Dersim.
Pertek Castle
The glory of Pertek is its castle. Built in the Middle Ages on a rocky outcrop above the valley, the fortress served as the stronghold of local lords who controlled this stretch of the river. When the rising waters of the Keban reservoir flooded the valley, the castle’s rock became an islet, and today the fortress appears to float on the lake — its weathered walls rising straight from the water in one of the most photographed scenes in the region. A historic mosque from the old town was carefully moved to higher ground before the flood, preserving another piece of Pertek’s heritage.
The Coming of the Lake
The great Keban Dam, built on the Euphrates in the 1970s, transformed Pertek. The reservoir drowned parts of the old valley and its villages, and the town adapted to life on a new shoreline, with ferries and roads linking it across the water. Like many communities along the dammed rivers of the region, Pertek lost some of its old landscape but gained a striking new one — a town of the lake where there had once been a town of the river.
The Dersim Country
Pertek belongs to Dersim, the historic mountain region centred on Tunceli, home to a distinctive Zaza- and Kurdish-speaking population that is largely Alevi in faith. This is a land of rugged beauty and deep, sometimes painful history, with its own traditions, music, and strong sense of identity. Pertek shares in that Dersim character, a community rooted in the highlands and in the long memory of its people.
Pertek Today
Today Pertek is a quiet Kurdish town on the Keban reservoir, drawing visitors to its lake-bound castle and its scenic setting. Fishing, farming, and tourism shape its modern life, and the restored castle stands as both a landmark and a symbol of a town that adapted to a transformed landscape. Pertek endures as one of the most beautiful corners of the Dersim country.
Timeline
Middle Ages — Pertek Castle is built on a rock above the river valley.
Ottoman era — Pertek is a seat of local lords in the Dersim country.
1970s — The Keban Dam floods the valley; the castle becomes an islet in the lake.
modern times — Pertek adapts to life on the new reservoir shoreline.
today — Pertek is a scenic lakeside town famed for its castle in the water.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pertek’s Kurdish name?
In Kurdish the town is known as Pêrtag.
Why is Pertek famous?
Pertek is famous for its medieval castle, which now stands on a rocky islet in the Keban reservoir after the valley was flooded by the dam.
Where is Pertek?
Pertek is a town in Tunceli Province in eastern Turkey, in the Dersim region, on the shore of the Keban reservoir.
What happened to Pertek when the dam was built?
The Keban Dam in the 1970s flooded the old river valley, turning the castle’s rock into an islet and reshaping the town around a new lakeshore; a historic mosque was relocated to higher ground.
Related People, Places, and Topics
References and Further Reading
Comments