Ван

Van Essentials

Van's landscape is defined by its position on Turkey's largest lake and its history as the center of the ancient Urartian Empire. This collection features 8th-century BC fortresses like Çavuştepe and Ayanıs alongside the 17th-century Hoşap Castle. Religious heritage is represented by medieval Armenian sites, including the 10th-century Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island and the remote Ktuts Monastery. Natural landmarks include the 20-meter-high Muradiye Waterfall and the narrow Ottoman-era Devil’s Bridge.

Attaleiv / CC BY-SA 3.0

A

Hoşap Castle

Hoşap Castle is a large 17th-century castle located in the village of Hoşab, Gürpınar District, Van, Turkey.

Lostinafrica / CC-BY-SA-3.0

B

Akdamar Island

The Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Aghtamar Island, in Lake Van in eastern Turkey, is a medieval Armenian Apostolic cathedral, built as a…

EvgenyGenkin / CC BY 2.5

C

Toprakkale

Rusahinili", modern Toprakkale, is an ancient Urartian fortress built by Rusa I, located near the modern city of Van in eastern Turkey.

Juliano Zasso (1833-1889) / Public domain

D

Haykaberd

An 8th-century BC Urartian fortress built by King Sarduri II. The archaeological site includes upper and lower citadels, a temple dedicated to the god Khaldi, and well-preserved cuneiform inscriptions.