Van is a historic city in eastern Turkey set on the southeastern shore of Lake Van — the largest lake in Turkey and one of the world's largest soda lakes at 3,713 km². The city sits at 1,750 metres above sea level, surrounded by dramatic volcanic mountains. Van is famous for its extraordinary breakfast tradition (Van kahvaltısı), its legendary white Van cats with heterochromia, and the nearby Church of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island. The ancient Urartian fortress of Van Castle looms over the old city ruins, recalling a civilisation that flourished here from the 9th to 7th centuries BC. Van today is a vibrant Kurdish-majority city with a warm, hospitable culture and access to some of eastern Turkey's most rewarding landscapes.
Van is one of the ancient world's most layered sites. The Urartian Kingdom (Biainili in the local language) established its capital Tushpa on the rock now known as Van Castle around 900 BC. The Urartians — rivals of the Assyrian empire — built massive fortifications, cuneiform inscriptions in Assyrian language, irrigation canals, and a sophisticated material culture represented in Van Museum's extraordinary gold and bronze collections. The kingdom fell to the Medes and Scythians around 590 BC. The region subsequently passed through Persian, Armenian, Hellenistic, Roman, Parthian, Sassanid, Arab, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman control. The Armenian presence from antiquity through the medieval period left the Church of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island (915–921 AD) — one of the finest medieval Armenian monuments surviving. The Ottoman-Kurdish Mahmudiye dynasty built Hoşap Castle in 1643 AD as a regional power base. The modern city of Van was largely destroyed in WWI (1915–1918) during the Armenian massacres and the resulting conflict between Russian, Ottoman, and local forces — the ruins of old Van (Eski Van) are visible below the castle. The rebuilt city dates mainly from the 1920s–1950s.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Van.
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1
Urartian kingdom establishes Tushpa (Van Castle) as capital
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2
King Menua constructs irrigation canal (Menua Canal), still visible today
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3
Çavuştepe palace and temple complex built by King Sarduri II
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4
Ayanis Castle (Rusahinili Eiduru-kai) founded by King Rusa II
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5
Urartian kingdom collapses under Median and Scythian pressure
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6
Region under Achaemenid Persian control (Satrap of Armenia)
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7
Kingdom of Armenia under Tigranes the Great; region part of greater Armenia
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8
Armenian King Gagik I of Vaspurakan builds Church of Holy Cross on Akdamar Island
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9
Seljuk conquest of eastern Anatolia; Van region incorporated into Seljuk sphere
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10
Ottoman-Safavid wars; Van becomes contested frontier zone
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11
Kurdish tribal leader Sarı Süleyman Bey builds Hoşap Castle
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12
WWI, Armenian massacres, Russian occupation, and destruction of old Van city
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13
Turkish Republic established; Van rebuilt on new site
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14
7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes Van province; significant damage; rebuilt
Historical eras
The chapters of Van's past.
Historical sites
Places where Van's past comes alive.
Museums
Curated collections that tell Van's story.
Van Museum
Hours: Tue–Sun 08:30–17:30
Admission: ₺150 (~$4.50)
Historical tours
Guided experiences that bring history to life.