Post Conference Excursion

The The city of Patnos has many historical ruins from Urartian period.There are a number of places of historical interest around it, including the castle of Aznavur Tepe, an impressive Urartu building. It is a small town in an impoverished rural area.

Girik Tepe ve Aznavur Tepe Ören Yerleri

Muradiye falls - Muradiye Şelalesi(Bendimahi waterfall) - one of the least known. The Muradiye (Bendimahi) river rises from the volcanic formations and basalt lavas of Eastern Anatolia and apart from the main waterfall near the village of Degerbilir (fomerly knows as Gevrika) gives rise to a cascade of smaller waterfalls extending as far as the Devil's Bridge 4 km away. The Devil's Bridge is itself a very old and interesting monument constructed in the basalt rock at a very narrow section of the river 4 km from Muradiye. In 1985 a suspension bridge was built in front of the main waterfall thus providing visitors with a magnificent view of the waterfall and an ideal spot from which to take photographs. Unfortunately during the summer rivers in Turkey have very few water therefore that is not the best time for visiting waterfalls.

Van Castle - Van Kalesi was an Iron Age castle which now stands as a stunning ruin on the rocks to the west of the modern city of Van. It was constructed as part of the Urartu Kingdom in the ninth century BC. Upon the fall of this kingdom in the seventh century BC, Van Castle was taken by the Assyrians.

The site of Van Castle bears the marks of these two civillisations as well as others, such as the Ottoman Empire. In particular, it is home to the remains of a mosque built by the Ottoman Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent (1494-1566).

Akdamar Island - Akdamar Adası also known as Aghtamar (Armenian: or Akhtamar), is the second largest of the four islands in Lake Van. About 0.7 km² in size, it is situated about 3 km from the shoreline. At the western end of the island a hard, grey, limestone cliff rises 80 m above the lake's level (1,912 m asl). The island declines to the east to a level site where a spring provides ample water. It is home to the 10th century Armenian Holy Cross Cathedral, which was the seat of the Armenian Apostolic Catholicosate of Aghtamar from 1116 to 1895.

crater (caldera) lake NemrutLake (12 km²) is 2247 m above sea level and 600 meters above Lake Van. The lake covers an area which is shaped like a half moon. Crater Lake's water is fresh and cold. There are also three smaller lakes in caldera.

Ahlat and its surroundings are known for a large number of historic tombstones left by the Ahlatshah dynasty. Efforts are presently being made by local authorities with a view to including the tombstones on UNESCO's World Heritage List, where they are currently listed tentatively. In recent years, Ahlat also came to be known for the quality of its potatoes, which carved themselves a sizable share in the Turkish agricultural market.