Adem ÇAKMAK

Anatolian geography has hosted different nations and states throughout history. The settlements having a deep rooted historical background in Anatolia have drawn attention of westerners for different reasons. Economically, politically and administratively influential centers such as Istanbul, Bursa, Trabzon, Diyarbakır and İzmir are in the lead of these. Apart from these historically and culturally rich centers in Anatolia, Dogubayazit situated in the eastern part of turkey is also one of those settlements frequently visited by westerners. Dogubayazit having a long history has become one of the Ottoman cities visited by western travelers, missionaries and statesmen especially since the 18th century. Here construction of Ishak Pasha Palace which has been one of the most important cultural sources of the region through the end of the 18th century as well as its geographical proximity to the Mount Ararat considered sacred by different nations, and its location on strategic and economic roads leading to Istanbul, Trabzon, Erzurum and Tabriz have an important role. Westerns visiting Dogubayazit which was in a strategic location in many respects in the eastern of Turkey mentioned about different details of Dogubayazit in travel books, books on research trips and in different sources such as travelers‘biographies. In these sources it is possible to reach information about the population movements created by the political-military climate of the period and the cultural life style of the region, as well as the various features of the Ishak Pasha Palace, which is one of the cultural resources that carry the architectural traces of different periods.

Key words: Doğubayazıt, Mount Ararat, traveler, travel books