In the wake of the death of Istanbul-Armenian journalist and founder of Agos Weekly Hrant Dink, the Hrant Dink Foundation, which was established by Dink’s family and is based in Istanbul, undertook a special project called “The Cultural Heritage of Anatolia” through which the Foundation’s representatives identified and estimated the number and current state of the historic and cultural structures of national minorities left in the whole territory of Turkey, reports tert.am, writes Agos Weekly.

Based on the list published by the Foundation, out of the 10,000 historic and cultural monuments in Turkey, 4,600 are Armenian, 4,100 are Greek, 650 are Assyrian and 300 are Jewish.

For two consecutive years, the project’s coordinator Merve Kurt and researchers Tuna Basibek, Zeynep Oguz, Aleksandros Kamburis and Vahagn Keshishian examined the Ottoman state archives and even traveled to Greece and Switzerland to study foreign archives.

According to Merve Kurt, the names of almost all of these historic monuments have been Turkified. Kurt adds that most of these historic monuments have been neglected and seriously need to be under protection.

Based on the study, the most Armenian historic monuments are located in Mush (401 historic structures), followed by Bitlis (325 structures), Kharberd (323 old Armenian structures), as well as Sebastian, Yerznka, Erzerum, Kesaria, Dersim and Van (185 structures).

Through the project, the Foundation has published a special map showing the places where the historically Armenian, Assyrian, Greek and Jewish monuments are located. The map also features churches, monasteries and cemeteries and even the buildings of old Armenian schools and orphanages.

The Foundation’s representatives have announced that their new archive is open for everyone.