ISHAK PASHA PALACE
Palace of Ottoman era was built in 1685 by Colak Abdi Pasha. According to the inscription on its door, the Harem Section of the palace was completed by his son Ishak (Isaac) Pasha in 1784. It looks more of a complex than a palace; it's the second administrative campus after the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul and the most famous of the palaces built in recent decades.
The palace, which was built on a hill at the side of a mountain 5 km east of Do?ubayazit, it's one of the most distinguished and magnificent examples of the 18th century Ottoman architecture and is very valuable in terms of art history. The complex consists of the following sections: exterior facades, first and second courts, the men's room, the mosque, the soup kitchen, bath, Harem Section, hall for ceremonies and entertainment, arch gates, pantries and ammunition room, the mausoleum, the bakery, dungeons. The characteristic property of the palace is its combined Ottoman, Persian, Seljuk and Armenian architectural style.
The palace, which was built on a hill at the side of a mountain 5 km east of Do?ubayazit, it's one of the most distinguished and magnificent examples of the 18th century Ottoman architecture and is very valuable in terms of art history. The complex consists of the following sections: exterior facades, first and second courts, the men's room, the mosque, the soup kitchen, bath, Harem Section, hall for ceremonies and entertainment, arch gates, pantries and ammunition room, the mausoleum, the bakery, dungeons. The characteristic property of the palace is its combined Ottoman, Persian, Seljuk and Armenian architectural style.
NOAH'S ARK
Has been found near Doğubayazit between Telceker and Uzengili villages. It is a natural monument 4 km far from Turkey - Iran transit road. During 1959 in Ararat area was NATO photographic mission. Some of the pictures showed a symmetrical streamlined stone structure which has the right dimensions, and interior structure and symmetrically arranged traces of metal are consistent with the Ark.
Also 13 anchor stones with iconographic inscriptions have been found near there. In 1987 the Turkish government announced to the world the discovery of the remains of Noah's Ark. They commissioned the building of a visitors center overlooking the remains and set the immediate area aside as a national park.
Also 13 anchor stones with iconographic inscriptions have been found near there. In 1987 the Turkish government announced to the world the discovery of the remains of Noah's Ark. They commissioned the building of a visitors center overlooking the remains and set the immediate area aside as a national park.
METEOR CRATER
It is 2 km from Iran territory and 35 km from east of Doğubayazit. The crater was formed due to a meteor fall in 1892. It is the second biggest meteor crater after the one in Alaska according to its width (55 m) and depth (60 m).
ELI (NOMAD) VILLAGE
On our trekking way we stop for a while in two Kurdish villages – Ararat Village (Kanikork or Topcatan) located on the foot of Mt. Ararat and Eli Village, located ahead the main campsite at 3200 meters. You can meet there dark-eyed, scarlet-lipped local people and white-haired, slightly humped old shepherds. You can join their everyday life; see how life is going on for people who are living at the foot of the Holly Mountain. They are very hospitable and their houses and nomad’s tents are always open for visitors! Our family who is living in nomad site in 2800 m will host you with pleasure!!
ICE CAVE
It is on the a plain ending at the foothills (around 2000 m) of the Little Mount Ararat. The cave is 7-8 meter underground, 50 meters width and 100 meters length and contains many ice stalagmites and stalactites from different forms. One of the most amazing characteristic of Ice Cave is being cold in summer time and hot in winter. Depends of sun ice forms are shining different colors, what is like magic illumination for visitors.
VAN
The City of Van is located on the eastern shore of Lake Van, the biggest lake in Turkey. The legend says that the founder of the city was the Queen Semiramide. Under the ancient name of Tushpa, Van was the capital of the Urartian kingdom in the 9th century BC. The region felt under the control of the Medes in the early 7th century BC and later Persians in the mid 6th century BC. In 331 BC, Van was conquered by Alexander the Great and after his death became part of the Seleucid Empire.
The most important area in Van is the Castle, Akdamar Island and cats The Van Castle (Van Kalesi) also known as Van Citadel is a massive stone fortification built ta the time of the ancient kingdom of Urartu. The lower parts of the walls were built out of unmortared basalt and the rest of mud-brick. Such fortresses were usually used for regional control, rather than for defense against foreign armies. The ruins of this building sit outside the modern city of Van, where they support walls built in the medieval era Akdamar is a very small island (around 0.7 km² of area), situated about 3 km from the shoreline.
A 10th century Armenian Church, known as the Cathedral Church of the Holy Cross (915-921) is placed on the island. The unique importance of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Cross lies in the extensive array of bas-relieve carving of mostly biblical scenes that adorn its external walls. The meaning of these relieves have been the subject of many varied interpretation.
There is a beautiful legend about the origin and meaning of island’s names. According to the legend an Armenian princess, named Tamar, lived on the island and was in love with a commoner. This boy would swim from the mainland to the island each night, guided by a light she lit for him. Her father knew about the boy's visits. One night, as she waited for her lover to arrive, he extinguish her light, leaving the boy in the middle of the lake without a guide to indicate which direction to swim. They say his dying cries of "Akh, Tamar" (Oh, Tamar) can be heard to this day at night.
For sure the most important animal on Van Lake area is a cat. Van Cats has two different colors of eyes, what make them demonic and of course beautiful. Population of Van Cats is getting smaller every year, so they are under protection and you can see them only in a few special places in the city.
The most important area in Van is the Castle, Akdamar Island and cats The Van Castle (Van Kalesi) also known as Van Citadel is a massive stone fortification built ta the time of the ancient kingdom of Urartu. The lower parts of the walls were built out of unmortared basalt and the rest of mud-brick. Such fortresses were usually used for regional control, rather than for defense against foreign armies. The ruins of this building sit outside the modern city of Van, where they support walls built in the medieval era Akdamar is a very small island (around 0.7 km² of area), situated about 3 km from the shoreline.
A 10th century Armenian Church, known as the Cathedral Church of the Holy Cross (915-921) is placed on the island. The unique importance of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Cross lies in the extensive array of bas-relieve carving of mostly biblical scenes that adorn its external walls. The meaning of these relieves have been the subject of many varied interpretation.
There is a beautiful legend about the origin and meaning of island’s names. According to the legend an Armenian princess, named Tamar, lived on the island and was in love with a commoner. This boy would swim from the mainland to the island each night, guided by a light she lit for him. Her father knew about the boy's visits. One night, as she waited for her lover to arrive, he extinguish her light, leaving the boy in the middle of the lake without a guide to indicate which direction to swim. They say his dying cries of "Akh, Tamar" (Oh, Tamar) can be heard to this day at night.
For sure the most important animal on Van Lake area is a cat. Van Cats has two different colors of eyes, what make them demonic and of course beautiful. Population of Van Cats is getting smaller every year, so they are under protection and you can see them only in a few special places in the city.
ANI
Ani is a ruined and uninhabited medieval city-site situated in the province of Kars, beside the border with Armenia. It was once the capital of a medieval Armenian kingdom. The city is located on a triangular site, visually dramatic and naturally defensive, protected on its eastern side by the ravine of the Akhurian River and on its western side by the Bostanlar or Tzaghkotzadzor valley.
Called the "City of 1001 Churches" or "The city of forty gates" it stood on various trade routes and its many religious buildings, palaces and fortifications were amongst the most technically and artistically advanced structures in the world. At the height of its glory, Ani had a population of 100,000 - 200,000 people and was the rival of Constantinople, Baghdad and Cairo. Long ago renowned for its splendor and magnificence, Ani has been abandoned and largely forgotten for centuries.
Called the "City of 1001 Churches" or "The city of forty gates" it stood on various trade routes and its many religious buildings, palaces and fortifications were amongst the most technically and artistically advanced structures in the world. At the height of its glory, Ani had a population of 100,000 - 200,000 people and was the rival of Constantinople, Baghdad and Cairo. Long ago renowned for its splendor and magnificence, Ani has been abandoned and largely forgotten for centuries.
HOT SPRINGS
Eastern Anatolia is rich in terms of thermal activity which can be associated with the young volcanism of the region. Anomalous high temperatures in the crust are reflected with the high temperatures of hot springs and the existence of young volcanic rocks in the region.
