The Armenian Quarter of Adana, early 20th century

The Armenian Quarter of Adana in the early 20th century. The postcard was published by G. Mizrahi in Adana. At the centre stands the Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Cathedral, rebuilt in 1840 on the site of a 13th-century church and enlarged in the early 20th century, when it became the archbishop’s seat. Because it stood on a hill, it was also called the “Upper Church”.

After the deportation of the Armenians, the building was used as a military depot; in 1923 it was confiscated, in the 1930s it was turned into a cinema, and in the 1970s it was demolished. During the Adana massacre of April 1909, thousands of Armenians were killed and many buildings were burned.

The postcard shows the tall bell tower topped with a cross, an earthen street with heaps of stones, carts and a few people.