A MUSEUM IN VAN

We’ve got some news for those who hop on a plane and head to Van for its delicious breakfast: completed after a long preparation, the doors of the Van Museum are now open to visitors. Having come all this way, you can see the breakfast kitchenware used by the people of Van centuries ago.

The capital of the Urartian Kingdom, Tushpa was founded on the fertile plain to the east of Lake Van which is surrounded by stately mountains. On the shores of this lake, which is as immense as the sea, they set up a castle on a rock mass that arose as if to tear the Earth’s crust.

This mountain has commanding views of both the lake and the plain. It also had a spring flowing beneath its rocks, whose waters, come summer or winter, were legendary for their aroma. It was not really surprising that King Sarduri I, the founder of the Urartian Kingdom, chose this place to build the first and most important castle of his kingdom in the 9th century BC. We understand that the Urartians were not the first civilization to settle here thanks to the archaeological excavations carried out in the tumulus on the northern façade of Mount Kale. The archaeologists who explored the site layer by layer determined that Mount Kale and its environs had been inhabited as far back as 5,000 years ago, by bringing to light the remains of buildings dating back to the Early Bronze Age.

On the other hand, we are not really well informed as to which civilizations settled in the Castle of Sarduri I after the Urartians. It is for certain, however, that the Ottomans gave it its existing shape. The appearance of the strong and firm walls they left behind, which surround Mount Kale like a crown, is imposing even today. The mirrored façade of the new Van Museum located to the north of Mount Kale greets its visitors by reflecting this magnificent landscape. With its splendid entrance, the quality of the museum will thrill history enthusiasts. With very successful lightening, many select pieces are on display

in 23 different galleries. All means of modern museology have been employed. Thanks to explanatory signboards, projections, and scenes of enactment, the history and the ethnography of the region starting with the Paleolithic Age are laid before the eyes. One of the exhibition halls of the museum is reserved for 13 anaglyphic stelae depicting humans which were found by coincidence in 1998 at the Hakkari city center. These almost 3-meter-long stelae, which remain a mystery to this day, depict naked human figures surrounded by animals, weapons, and tents, and date back to the middle of the 2nd century BC.

The main theme of the museum is the Urartian civilization.

The Urartians did not have their own writing. They borrowed cuneiform from their archenemies, the Assyrians, and developed it in line with their own language. The magnificent cuneiform rock blocks are on exhibit in another hall. Visitors can also discover the mastery of Urartians in processing ores and the variety of their ornaments. The appeal of seeing the Urartian castles on the spot is a completely different experience; however, considering they lay in ruins, it is hard to imagine their former glory. The Van Museum recreates the entrance of the Çavuştepe Castle which had been formed of colossal rock blocks. In this hall, a lot of information is given on topics such as the daily living, agriculture, economy,

irrigation, weaving, and conservation of foodstuff in the Urartian times.

After visiting the museum, one can’t depart without seeing the Van Castle right beside it. Entering the site of the castle that is protected with walls, you will come by adobe houses, which are the traditional examples of Van architecture. The inhabitants of Van still get their fresh water supplies from the fountain beneath Mount Kale. Following the water that flows from the fountain, you will come by the Sardur Bastion built from gigantic blocks of cut stone, whose function is unknown to this day. The epigraph inscribed on one of its corners is in Akkadian and Assyrian. Bored into the southwest façade of Mount

Kale, the rock tombs of Urartian kings Argishti, Sarduri II, and Menua are worth seeing for the rock face with epigraphs in cuneiform relating their heroic deeds.

Following the cobblestone path, passing through the gate, the walls of which are built with colored Ahlat stone (Ignimbrite), there meanders a road up the hill. The climb is a bit exhausting but the great vista will make you forget all your tiredness. The lake stretches to the west as far as the eye can see. On its north shore, there rises the snow-laden, conical peak of Mount Süphan. To the south, the mighty crown of Mount Artos salutes us. Two to three kilometers away, Modern Van lies to the east.

Nothing much remains other than rough terrain from the

Old Van, which was once built on the south façade of Mount Kale. Following the devastation of Old Van in 1915, Van Great Mosque (Van Ulu Camii) and the Red Minaret Mosque (Kızıl Minareli Camii) have made it to our day in ruins. Built by Sinan, Hüsrev Pasha Mosque has undergone major repair work, and the white-and-brown striped Kaya Çelebi Mosque has been reconstructed.

On the days when the weather

is fine, the Akdamar Church in the Gevaş borough of Van invites you on a great excursion. The tour boats take you to the Cathedral of the Holy Cross built on the southeastern end of Akdamar Island upon the orders of the Armenian King Gagik I. This 1,000-year-old building, which has undergone comprehensive restoration, fascinates all its visitors with its resplendence. The rich stone reliefs covering the exterior walls of the church seem to have leapt out of a child’s imagination: all sorts of figures are hidden in the carved vines providing a framework to the reliefs depicting stories from the Bible and hunting scenes. And if you happen to visit in spring, when almond trees blossom, your visit will certainly turn into a fairy tale.

I would recommend you boost your energy with the famous Van breakfast before traveling back in time to explore the history of Van. You can start your day with local delights by choosing one of the grand establishments offering lake views on Iskele Street or towards Edremit, or one of the traditional breakfast saloons in the marketplace. The essentials of the Van breakfast are herb cheese, clotted cream, yoğurt kaymağı (yoghurt’s clotted cream), local honey, eggs with kavurma (braised meat), murtuğa, and kavut (roasted ground wheat sautéed with butter).

The Hoşap Castle, Ayanis, Toprakkale, and Çavuştepe Urartian Castles, the Seven Churches or Çarpanak

Church, aka Ktuts Monastery, situated on another island, are among the historical sites worth visiting in Van. Add to these the superb grilled meat restaurants, the entertainment venues in Iskele neighborhood, and the beaches in Edremit, and you will see that Van will satisfy you in every way throughout the year!