Van Fortress, Van

Name: Van Fortress
Address: Van, Turkey

#2 among attractions in Van

Top attraction, Forts and castles

Gallery (10)

Map

Gallery

Photo details 1. Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Bjørn Christian Tørrissen / URL • 2. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Leon petrosyan / URL • 3. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / EvgenyGenkin / URL • 4. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Bahoz / URL • 5. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / EvgenyGenkin / URL • 6. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Mevlüt Kılıç / URL • 7. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Uspn / URL

Facts and practical information

The Fortress of Van is a massive stone fortification built by the ancient kingdom of Urartu during the 9th to 7th centuries BC, and is the largest example of its kind. It overlooks the ruins of Tushpa, the ancient Urartian capital during the 9th century, which was centered upon the steep-sided bluff where the fortress now sits. A number of similar fortifications were built throughout the Urartian kingdom, usually cut into hillsides and outcrops in places where modern-day Armenia, Turkey and Iran meet. Successive groups such as the Medes, Achaemenids, Armenians, Parthians, Romans, Sassanid Persians, Byzantines, Arabs, Seljuks, Safavids, Afsharids, Ottomans and Russians each controlled the fortress at one time or another. The ancient fortress is located just west of Van and east of Lake Van in the Van Province of Turkey. ()

Local name: Van Kalesi Coordinates: 38°30'11"N, 43°20'23"E

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Van Turkey

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Day trips

Van Fortress – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Xerxes I inscription at Van, Tushpa, Toprakkale, Kurtuluş Parkı.

~330 ftSE
Forts and castles
Xerxes I inscription at Van, Van
2 min walk • The Xerxes I inscription at Van, also known as the XV inscription, is a trilingual cuneiform inscription of the Achaemenid King Xerxes I. It is located on the southern slope of a mountain adjacent to the Van Fortress, near Lake Van in present-day Turkey. When inscribed it was located in the Achaemenid province of Armenia.
~90 ftSW
Archaeological site
Tushpa, Van
1 min walk • Tushpa was the 9th-century BC capital of Urartu, later becoming known as Van which is derived from Biainili the native name of Urartu. The ancient ruins are located just west of Van and east of Lake Van in the Van Province of Turkey. In 2016 it was inscribed in the Tentative list of World Heritage Sites in Turkey.
3.7 miE
Archaeological site
Toprakkale, Van
94 min walk • Rusahinili ", modern Toprakkale, is an ancient Urartian fortress built by Rusa I, located near the modern city of Van in eastern Turkey. The site has been excavated by archaeological teams from Germany, the United Kingdom, and other countries.
1.8 miE
38°30'3"N • 43°22'25"E
Kurtuluş Parkı, Van
47 min walk • Park
1.4 miN
Neighbourhood
Tuşba, Van
35 min walk • Tuşba is a new district and second level municipality in Van Province, Turkey. According to Law act no 6360, all Turkish provinces with a population more than 750,000 were declared a metropolitan municipality and the districts within the metropolitan municipalities were transformed to second level municipalities.
2.6 miS
Neighbourhood
İpekyolu, Van
66 min walk • İpekyolu is a district and town in Van Province, Turkey.
5.4 miNW
Universities and schools
Van Yüzüncü Yıl University
138 min walk • Van Yüzüncü Yıl University is a university in Van, Turkey. The name was "Yüzüncü Yıl University" until June 15...
7.1 miSW
Town
Edremit
182 min walk • Edremit, is a district in the Van Province of Turkey. The district's central town which has the same name is situated on the coast of Lake Van at a distance of 18 kilometres from the city of Van.