Top Rated Attractions in Van

After undergoing a major makeover in 2005, the Church of the Holy Cross (commonly known as Akdamar Kilesi) was finally open to the public as a museum. Dating back to the 900s, it is one of the only surviving architectural wonders from King Gagik I Artsruni's rule. The structure - a piece of pink volcanic tufa is monk Manuel's renowned architectural works. Over the years, the church withstood a number of controversies, to name a few – the killings of the Aght'amar monks, destruction due to communal violence and even thefts of its valuable possessions. Today the church is managed by the Turkish government, operates as a full-fledged museum and even conducts occasional religious services.

Flowing in the extreme eastern part of Turkey, Lake Van is famed for being one of the largest lakes of the country. A saline soda water body, its path traverses across the distinctive topographies of Bitlis and Van. Buttressed by plenty of streams which trickle down the surrounding mighty mountains, the lake is also one of the largest lakes without an outlet, popularly termed as an 'endorheic lake.' Van covers a massive area, stretching across 119 kilometers (74 miles) through its broadest point. The lake gets its name from the ancient settlement of Van that developed on its eastern banks between the 8th and the 10th centuries. Although the lake’s saline waters do not attract a lot of wildlife, there is a pocketful of species (like the quintessential darekh fish) which have made its saline shores their home. Lying nestled under the everlasting shadows of mighty mounts, the lake is adorned with bountiful montane flora which invokes a beautiful riot of colors. The lake once served as the epicenter of the ancient Byzantine and Armenian kingdoms, as a result of which its shores cradle a wealth of monuments (like the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Van Fortress) which have been passed down as iconic remnants of the empire. Home to numerous picturesque islands, this beguiling water body is furthered enlivened by significant sports events as well as the Van Lake Festival.

Perched atop a rocky promontory in the modern-day city of Van, this fortress seems to arise as a natural extension of the hilltop on which it rests. It presides over another historical ruin that unfolds below, namely the former Urartu capital Tushpa. Believed to be a regional stronghold built by the Urartu kingdom, this ancient fortress dates back to circa 7th Century BCE. It is one of the many fortresses built by the kingdom, and was consecutively controlled by an arsenal of rulers that governed the region during its long history - from Achaemenids and Romans, to Seljuks and Ottomans. Of special significance are the cuneiform inscriptions etched upon a flat surface near the fortress, a detailed 5th-century engraving in honor of Persian King Xerxes I.

Backdropped by the rugged cliffs of Mount Erek, the crumbling ruins of Varagavank tell a tale of faith and religion. Of the six churches that were originally part of the monastic complex, a few handful churches stand today, some still adorned with fading frescoes, while others are roofless, letting the sun shine through their dark ruins. When it was built in the 11th Century by the last King of Vaspurakan, the monastery served as an interment site for Astruni royals; only to later function as the exalted monastic hub of the Armenian church. After a siege was laid by the Turkish army in 1915, it fell into a state of ruins, and continued to deteriorate through the years that followed. A part of the monastery however, still lies preserved in the institute of Matenadaran in Armenia's capital, Yerevan. It shelters the "Gospel of Queen Mlke", a prized piece of Armenian heritage that was gifted to the monastery by the Astruni Queen Mlke.