Özet:

The Old City of Van, located on the southern part of Van Castle, has been inhabited by various civilizations since the time of the Urartians. The city was surrounded by walls on the east, south, and west, with the Van Castle serving as its northern boundary. Between the years 1915 and 1918, the Old City of Van was under Russian-Armenian occupation. All architectural constructions were vandalized by brigands during the withdrawal of Tsarist Russian Troops from the region after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. Life in the city came to an end in 1918, and the resettlement began in today's City of Van. The city, which faced its doom between the years 1918 and 1995, has gradually succumbed to the ravages of nature and treasure hunters. Excavation, project, and restoration works have been initiated by various institutions since 1995. The Demesne Barn, which is utilized as a public granary, was constructed in a strategically secure location. Today, certain sections of the building's walls, the ascending stairs to the flat roof, and the covering system are entirely in ruins. The Demesne Barn dates back to the XVIIth century. Following local excavation efforts, preservation projects for the building were prepared and approved by the Van Governorate in 2010. The Demesne Barn is laid out on a rectangular ground in an east-west direction. The entrance to the building is provided through two independent gates inside the lancet arch alcove in the southern front. The barn consists of three independent sections, with three rooftops aligned on the same horizontal axis in the mid-section of the flat roof. The flat roof, constructed with compressed barren and wood ash-added soil, features eight gargoyles for releasing rain and snow waters. The aim is to take precautions to preserve the original architectural structure of the Demesne Barn without causing further destruction, ensuring its transfer to future generations through this study. In the scope of this initiative, excavation, documentation, application, survey, restitution, restoration, and functionalization projects for the building's renovation have been prepared by expert staff in the field under the Van Governorship and approved by the relevant institution and board. The Demesne Barn, situated in the Old City of Van, declared as an archaeological site, stands out as the sole civil architectural example in terms of both architectural features and functions within Van and the surrounding region, encompassing distinctive qualities in architectural form and plan.

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