Asa mysterious city of the East, Van is a destination where history, nature, and culture intersect, like all other cities in the Eastern Anatolian Region. In addition, Van offers a diverse range of winter and water sports.
Lake Van – with its azure blue waters, its history and culture, churches, mosques and castles, its nature, and wetlands, where hundreds of bird species are seen – is the most important natural asset and a cultural treasure of the region with its natural beauty.
Van Castle
Van Castle (Van Kalesi) is five km from the city centre. This castle was erected by the King of Urartu, Sarduri I, between BCE 840 and 825. The city, known as Tushpa, served as the capital of the Kingdom of Urartu for at least a century. Around the castle is the Analı-Kız Open-Air Temple (Analı Kızlı Açık Hava Tapınağı), the rock tombs of Argishti 1, Menua and Sarduri II, the thousand stairs, the fortress walls and the wall boxes.
The Castle was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Temporary List in 2016.
Minua (Shamram) Water Canal
The Minua (Shamram)Canal was built by King Minua of Urartu to bring water to the vineyards and gardens along the canal and to the capital Tushpa. About five thousand hectares of land along the canal are irrigated. The canal, partly dug into the ground and partly carved into the rock, is 50 km long and has an average width of 2.5 meters. The Minua (Shamram) Canal, which is still in use, is a unique example of water engineering that has been actively utilized for 2800 years.
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