KOZAN. – The Turkish authorities have transformed into a boutique hotel and restaurant the home of wealthy Armenian merchant Krikor Mchrkian, which is located in Sis—currently Kozan—a capital city of the former Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (PHOTOS).   

This luxurious three-storey detached house, which rises underneath the Citadel of Sis and is nearby the building of the Armenian Catholicosate of Sis, catches the attention of all tourists visiting the area, Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter informs from Kozan.  

Krikor Mchrkian had built this house in 1879 and some of its stones were brought from France. But following the Armenians’ departure in 1920, the home became the headquarters of Osman Tuhaf Pasha, and, subsequently, it passed from one person to another and ultimately found itself on the verge of collapse.       

In 2004, however, the Kozan Municipality began restoring it and, in 2008, the restored house opened as a boutique hotel and restaurant. And the home became the locals’ and the tourists’ preferred restaurant and hotel in a very short jump of time.

To note, the existence of wealthy Armenians had bothered the Turks very much during the Ottoman Empire. And the Turkish authorities’ envy against Krikor Mchrkian made them decide to kill him. So, in 1917, and by the order of Halil Efendi, two people invited Krikor allegedly to a meeting, but killed him once he left his home