The Toros (Taurus) Mountains p a ra lle ling Tur ke y's southern border and the Black Sea Mountains in the north meet to form a mighty range w hic h defines the country's eastern border.
The trem end ous diversity of the eastern and southeastern lands surprises travele re: the red ochre plateau of Erzu rum; the fo res ts , waterfalls, and green pastures of Kars and Agn ; the permanent sno wca p on biblical Mount Ag rl (Ara rat) ; and the immense Lake Van with its deep b lue waters. Dwellings an d ways of life also vary greatly in this large re gio n. For example , small , earth-roofed houses, built close to the ground typ ify Kars. De sp ite a g enerally austere life , the people of Kars are generous and hospitable. The re g ion's long and turb ulen t h istory h as left monuments to its various civili zations; Byzantine monasteries an d c hu rches, Se ljuk m ausoleums and caravanserais, and elegant Ottoman mosques
and hilltop citadels. To the inveterate traveler and lover of adventure, this region of Turkey fascinates , astonishes and informs.
FROM ERZiNCAN TO DOGUBAYAZIT The great trans-Anatonan axis road, is the most direct route between Ankara and the Iranian border, and passes through Sivas , Erzincan, Erzurum , Agfl and Dogubayazlt.
Erzlncan, o ne o f the import an t ci ties in the reg io n, lies 688 km east o f Ankara on a fertile pl ain. The hig hly-d ec or ated and ha nd-fashioned copperware of Erzin c an maintains a long tradition in the are a's fame for m et alw or k . Akbulut Ski Center, 40 km to the west , provides facil ities for w inter sports en thusiasts. Dumanll Plateau in Refa hiye County is a relaxing loc atio n among pine trees. The e levatio ns of the ski center and p lateau are both 2000 m . Erzincan has two sports clu b that p lay 'c l r it' , a javelin game of da redevil horsemanship in which wooden javelins are thrown at horseman of opposing team s to gain points. The game is played mainly in Eastern Turkey. Many of the magnificent bronze objects in the Museum of Anatouan CMlizations in An kara were fo und at the nearby Urartian site of Altlntepe , east of Erzinc a n. The items date from 900-600 BC. At Teresn , the round 12th-century mausoleum of Mama Hatun with its beautifully carved stone
po rta l is worth a detour off the main roa d . The waterfalls at Glrvellk, 29 km southeast of Erzinc an, provide ide al pic nic spots where you c an eat a pa c ked lunc h and relax to the sou nd of wa ter tumbling ove r roc ks . Southwest of Erzinca n is the beautiful g reen town of Kemallye on the First (Euphrates) River. The hospitality of the locals and the arc hitec ture of the to w n are w orth a visit. The b est p lace for ra fting and canoeing is at nearby Karanhk Bogaz. You will also w ant to go on a photo sa fari to take in the natu ral b eauty of th e area. Erzurum, 193 k m east o f Erz inca n and the largest city in east ern A natona , sprawls on a hig h
plateau at an altitude of 1,950 meters. As you enter the city , the large Aziziye Monument commemorating the Turkish-Russian war will catch your eye . Although the collection in the archaeological museum reveals much of the city's history and ancient origins , it is Erzurum's architecture which is in fact the best picture of its past. The city walls and fortress are reminiscent of the period of Byzantine rule. The 5th-century citadel bui lt by Emperor Theocosius stands on a hill at an altitude of 2000 meters. Of particular importance are the remaining Seljuk buildings - brilliant examples of a fascinating aesthetic. The Ulu Cami (Grand Mosque) was built in 1179 by Melik Nasreddin Mehmet (Mehmet the Red Lion) . It has an unusual form with seven wide naves. The Citte Minareli Medrese, or theological college , bui lt by the Seljuk
Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat in 1253 , astonishes visitors w ith elaborate stone carvings on its portal and its majestic double minarets . Behind the <;ifte Minareli Medrese stands the U<;: KUmbetler, a group of th ree tombs, the most notable of which is that of Emir Saltuk. The 13th-century Hatuniye TUrbesi, or mausoleum, was built for Sultan Alaeddin Keykubars daughter. The beautiful portal and richly-tiled minaret of the 13th-century Yakutiye Medrese reveal another facet of Seljuk architecture. You can also see Ottoman buildings in Erzurum . The great architect Sina n left his mark on the city in the Lata Mustafa Pasa Mosque. The AtatOrk house and museum where Ataturk stayed and held a congress are nea r the mosque.
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While wandering around the city , notice the local black stone (Erzurum Oltu Ta$J)which is used in jewelry, The shops on the upper floor of the Tashan (RLlstem Pasa Caravanserai) offer the best selection. A road through splendid mountain scenery leads to the winter sports resort of Palandoken, only 6 km from Erzurum. This center has a number of hotels as well as the longest ski run and the best snow quality in Turkey, making it a favorite haunt of expert skiers. The glassy To rt u m Lake , 120 km from Erzurum in the direction of Artvin and the Black Sea , may be the most tranquil sight in all of Turkey. Be sure to see the Tortum Waterfalls at the north end of the lake that plunge from a height of 47 meters. (Atter the rushing torrents of the April -ta-June snow-melt clears the falls , the flow of water slows considerably.)
The Heno Church in Bagba~1 village in Tortum County was built by the Georgian King David the Great during the years 961-1 001 . It was originally built as a monastery. The church section is now used as the village mosque while preserving the original architecture. It is 85 km from Erzurum on the Erzurum -A rtvin highway, 8 km from the whitewashed bridge. The mansion in Carntryarnac Village in Uzundere County, 7 km off the Erzurum-Artvin highway was also built by David the Great near the end of the 10th century. It reflects the go lden age of Georgian arc hitecture . Kars (212 km northeast of Erzurum) stands at an altitude of 1,750 meters and h as played an
important role in Turkish history It was at the center of the Turk ish -Russian War. The Russ ian legacy can still be seen in much of the town's architecture. The lower city unfolds at the foot of an impressive Se ljuk fortress from the 12th century. Nearby, the Havariler Museum (the 10th-century Church of the Apostles) reveals a curious mixture of architectural influences. Sas-reliefs rep resenting the twelve apostles in rather stiff and primitive poses , ring the exterior dr um of the dome. The Archaeological Museum houses beautiful wood carvings , an excellent collection of coins found in the surrounding reg ion . as well as many ethnographic item s relating to eastern Turkey. Kars is particularly known for its d istinctive ki lims and carpets , and it retains a strong heritage of folk dancing. Visitors always seem to enjoy this traditional entertainment. On the mountain pastures, villagers produce excellent
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Kasar cheese and delicious honey. About 42 kilometers east of the c ity on the ancient Silk Road , the medieval city of An i (Ocakh) lies mostly in ruins. Impressive fortified walls still encircle the ruins of numerous churches, mosques and caravanserais . The extent to which the large churches are still standing after a thousand years will amaze you . Sankam 1fii (53 km southwest of Kars) is a ski center with resort hotels set in a scenic pine forest. The Kur R lver dividesArd ah an (83 km from Kars) and separates the ancient part on one side from the new city on the other. A 16th-century castle built by Sultan Selirn the Grim, one of the most stately citadels in Turkey with 14 towers and a span of 745 meters, stands in the old part of the city. To the
Lake ylldlr, Ardahan
Flora from A rd a ha n
north of Ardahan via posor lies the TOrkgozu border gate which is now open for travel to the Rep ublic of Georgia. Clldlr takes its name from the ne ar by lake wh ich lies at an altitude of 1,9 65 meters. The scenic area around the lake provides a habitat for a fascinating variety of birds. In the lake , the manmade Akc;:akale Island was reputedly constructed with the tabo r of thousands; a temple with Urartian inscriptions rem ains . $eytan ( D e v ll's ) Castle is near Ctldrr.
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wwwv.fourisfas.clan.su
The city of Igdlr stands on a large, fertile plain where fruit and, unusual for this geographica l reg ion , cotton grow. The Bible relates that w he n the flood w aters receded , Noah and his family descended from Mount Agn (Ara rat) toward the fertile plain. From here, thei r progeny most like ly settled to the south and west along the Firat (Euph rates) and Dicle (Tigris ) rivers , establishing the second generation of mankind. From this plain , yo u have the best v iew of Mount Ag n. Monuments to visit near the c ity include Ura rtia n rock monuments, a 13th -century Seljuk caravanserai and the Karakale (Black Castle). In Karakoyun Village , on the road between Igdl r and Arahk , stop at the im p ressive 15th-century cemeteries w ith Karakoyun (Black Sheep) monumental tombstones . Agn , one of the important c ities of the region on a 1,650 meter-high plateau, takes its name from the mountain which looms over it. Agrl is 183 km east of Erzurum. The pleasant Bahk G610 (Fish
La ke) to the northeast, not surprisingly has plenty of fish restaurants serv ing local delicacies. Thermal springs bubble up all over the area. For those who wan t hardy outdoor events, a visit to the Ele$kirt Sk i Center, 20 km southwest of Agn , will provide a few days of snow sports. Do not miss the spectacular ishak Pafla Palace , 5 km from Dogubayazlt, 95 km east from Agn . ishak Pasha, Ottoman governor of the province , and Cotak Abdi Pasha constructed the pa lace between 1685 and 1784 with a m ixture of Ottoman , Persian and Sefjuk architectural styles. The palace contains 366 rooms , a mosque, a courtroom , a kitchen, a bakery, barns and baths. Nearby you can see a bas-relief of an Urartian king , and a rock tomb from the 9th century B .C .
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Near Doqubayazit. Turkeys most scenic natural monument, Mount Agrl (M t. Ararat) rises to a height of 5137 meters. Some scientists who have explored the mountain believe Noah's ark is buried under snow and ice high on the mountain . Lesser Araratts 3925 meters high. Uzengili village , 25 km east of Doqubayaztt, is a great place to try the local dessert, asure (Noah's Pudding), believed to have first been made by Noah's wife from the last bits of food in the ark.
FROM MALATYA TO HAKKARi The most direct route to this region is the Central Anatolian Highway that passes through Kayseri. Malatya, Elazlg , Binqcl. Mue. Van and on to Iran , via Hakkari.
Taurus Mountains , The archaeology museum houses new finds from the Lower Ftrat (Euphrates) region that date from the Neolithic and Chalcolithic ages. Next to the city museum , you can shop in a bazaar where an entire passageway of shops is devoted to copperware. In Malatya. the ap ricot growing center of Turkey, it is possible to sample many delicious apricot confections as well as other fresh and dried fruit. The two small towns which pre-date the establishment of present-day Malatya are easy expeditions. Aslantepe , 7 km away, was the capital of a Hittite state in the first millennium B .C ., and Battalgazl, 9 km away, was once the ancient city of Melitene. At the latter, stand the ruins of a Byzantine enclosure , and in the center of town , the 13th-century Ulu Mosque is an excellent example of Seljuk architecture.
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Elazlg , founded in the 19th century, ties on a plain in the shadow of a m ountain crowned w ith the ancient citadel o f Harput. Ha rput w as an im po rtant educational and cultural c ente r. Destruction w roug ht by se ve ral earthquakes and the relatively recent construction of ElazlQ has led to most of the population of Harput deserting it for the modern city . Several Seljuk mosques remain , ho wever, wh ich are w o rth vi siting. The Keban and Karakaya dams on the Ffrat (Euphrates) River have created huge artif ici al lakes, dramatically altering the su rrounding envi ronment. Twenty-five kilometers south of Elaz lQ, the lovely and tranq uil Hazar Lake invites relaxation . Th e beaches and
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to urist faci lities are open during the summer months. Nine beaches on the shores of Lake Hazar have rec e ived the blue flag rating . Mount Hazar Baba is a beautiful place for a hike , and will soon be open for skii ng as well . Hig h m o unta ins enci rc le 'tuncen . 133 km north of ElazlOon the Elaz lO-Erzu rum road . On the way , stop off to se e the fortress of Pertek , built in the M iddle Age and still in good con dit ion today. In the Munzur Valley National Park near Ovaclk , 60 km no rthwest of 'tunce n. you c an fish in rush ing , trout -f illed streams wh ile enjoyin g the amazing scenery.
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The na me o f Blngol means "a thousand lakes". It was given because of the many gla cier lakes in the surr ounding m ountains. In the city stand the remains o f a medieval fortress . Blngol-Yoh;:atl (Kurucadag) Ski Center is 20 km to the west. A t var ious times in history, Binqol has been controlled by Se ljuks, Mongolians, Akkoyuns , Persians and Ottomans.
Mu!i' (115 km east of Binq of) w as founded in the 6th century. The Ulu Cami (Grand Mosque) is an Ottoman w o rk from the second half of the 14th century. The historica l Murat Bridge, 10 k m from Mue on the M oe- varto road , is a Seljuk br idge with 12 arches. The 17th and 18th century mosques of Hacr Seret and Alaaddin Bey are certainty w orth a visit. Kcrkute f is famous for its kilim weaving and Siirt blankets: it is definitely worth seei ng. Varto County con tains an old Urartian site in Kayah Dere V illage. Lake Hamurpet, 20 km from Varto , is a good place to fish for trout or hunt ducks and geese.
Malazgirt County was the loc atio n where the Se ljuks defeated the Byz anti nes in 1071 . Tod ay, there are fo ur inte resting c astles , br idges, and turnuli worth seeing . Bula ruk County contains the Mollakent Mosque and Th eological School, bo th buil t of Ahla t stone by Seyh ibrahim in 1290 and 1321 resp ective ly. La ke Kazan is a good spot for fishing and pic nics. The lively city o f Bltlls (85 km east of Mu~) , an important cen ter of tobacco production , stands in the middle of a green oasis. Th e city's architecture uses the local dark stone , and the stone monuments inc lude the Serefhan Medreee . the 12th-century Ulu Mosque, the Seljuk Gckrneydaru Mosque and
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the Ottoman $erefiye Mosque. Bltlls Sapgor Ski Center is c lose to the town 's conter. Fro m Tatvan on the western sho re of Lake Van (25 km nort heast of Brtlis ). you can take a passe nger and train ferry across the water to Van . Nemrut Oagl (Mount Nemrut. not to be confused with Nemrut Dagl National Park in the province of Adryarnan) makes a cha llenging climb . In its center a deep crater lake bubbles with volcanic hot springs. The ruins of Ahlat are 44 km north of Tatvan on the western sho re of Lake Van . The ruins of this once-important city of Turk ish art and cultu re are scattered today among more recent constructions. In the 12th century this city wa s the ca pital of the Turkish state that ruled the Van Basin . Several mausoleums, notab ly the Ulu KUmbet, the Em ir BaYlnd lr Kumbet , the Hasan Pa$8 «u mcet and the Citte Kumbet offer a comprehensive overview of Seljuk funerary architecture and
d ec oratio n . In the Se ljuk cemetery are be au tifu lly insc ribed memorial to mbsto nes from th e 12th ce ntury. The Turkish Art Museum hou ses a co llect ion of ceramics , ancient coins and jew elry. Modern A hlat provides lakeside to urist acco m modation , be ach fa c ilities and resta urants . As you dr ive on aro und the lake yo u come to Adllcevaz , w he re the Ulu M osque, bu ilt of the reg ion's dark volcanic stone, stand s on the lake sh ore . Ten kilometers w est of Adi lcevaz is Kef Castle , and the nearby Ura rtian temple of Halci dates from the ninth ce ntury B .C. Artifact s from this site can be seen in the Mu se um of Anat o lian Civilizations in Ankara . The Ad ilcevaz High Sch ool ya rd d isplays some of the co lum n ba ses . 25
Van (170 km east of Bitns), the ancient U ra ruan capital of TUl1pa , tempts visitors with its location on the eastern shore of the lake. This rem ote but important city is set in a verdant oasis at the foot of a rocky peak. An imposing 9th-century B.C . citadel overlooks the new and the old parts of town . Steps carved in the rock lead to the Ur a rtian fortress . Halfway up the steps , inscriptions in cuneiform pay homage to Xerxes . Within the fortress are several Urartian royal rock tombs . In the old city , the Ulu Mosque, Husrev Paaa Mosque, Kaya Qelebi Mosque and the [kiz Kumbet (Twin Mausoleums) reflect Seljuk and Ottoman architectural styles. Van's interesting Archaeological Museum is in the new city , inland from the uni nhabited old district. Still very much part of a trad itio nal lifestyle, the women of Van produce beautiful kilims woven in blue , red and whi te patterns. The exotic Van Cat, protected specie , has thick white fur and one blue and one green eye . The philatelic sections of major Turk ish post offices have beautiful Van Cat stamps.
At Van iskelesi (Van Pier) , friendly tea gardens and res tau rants invite you for a break. Edremit , a holiday resort center 14 km to the sou thwest, has good beaches, avai lable for swimming and camping . In the same direction is Gevas. where you can visit a Seljuk cemetery w ith numerous decorated headstones, and the lovely Halime Hatun Mausoleum . Lake Van , the largest lake in Turkey, is at an altitude of 1720 meters, and is ringed by beautiful mountains. Mount Suphan (4058 meters) is on the northwest side and the [htiyar Sahap Mountains are to the south. You can circle the lake , visiting several ancient Urartian sites as well as
27
other places that represent the legacies of the various peoples who inhabited the area . Some of the islands in Lake Van have monasteries and chu rches bui lt on them . No doubt the rem o te location offered seclus ion to the resident religious communities . Forty -one kllometers southwest of Van , Akdamar Island (a h alf- ho ur sail from shore) is the most important o f these . On the island stands a 10 th- c entury c hu rc h whose stone wa lls are ric h ly carved with Old Testament scenes and fig ures. After s ightseeing , swimmers and picnickers can enjoy themselves aro und the is land' s almond groves. If y ou ha ve time, also vis it C arpanak Island to en joy its landscape and to w and er around the 12th-century church , wh ich has now been converted into a museum.
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Cavufiltepe, 35 km from Van on the Hakkari ro a d , is an im portant Urartian c itadel. Excavated in 1970 , today you can see temples, a pa lace, a sa crificial altar and insc riptio ns. On the pastoral, w ind ing road to Hakkari, the Zemek Dam Lake offers itse lf as a res ting spot on the way to Hoeep.
60 km from Van , where a 17th-century fairytale castle rises above a small hill. Although the interior is bad ly d amaged , the exterior walls, crenellations and turr e ts are we ll-preserved . A mong th e intere sting geographical features around Lake Van, the Muradlye Waterfalls , 8 8 km north of Van, with a p e ac eful tea g ard en and restaurants , and Gahnlspl-Beyaz Ce!i'me Falls, 6 0 km so uth of Van , ar e wo rth visi ting . The road to re m ot e Hakkarl , 203 km so uthe a st of Van , tak es you thro ugh some of Turkey'S most m ag nific ent scenery: the Cllo -Sat Mountains and the Zap Valley. A medieval fortre ss dom inates the city , which is at an altitude of 1748 m ete rs 29
CULTURAL HERITAGE IS FRAGILE The world's cultural heritage is like a big puzzle. Each monument, each object, is an irrep lace ab le part of the overall Picture which gives us insig ht into our origins, our development and our lives today. It helps us to understand and appreciate other cultures. Each discovery, each new interpretation adds to the puzzle and makes the picture clearer. We must ensure the protection of every single piece today, so that future generations may have the opportunities to en joy the puzzle. Many people are no t aware that our cultural heritage is under stress from natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, and from slower acting processes such as pollution or human actions. Even the most innocent gestures such as collecting ancient pieces of pottery or mosaics as souvenirs have a destructive impact if repeated by thousands . Touc hing an object of stone, metal or textile le ave s traces of grease, acid or sweat on its surface. Climbing a monument wears down the structure underneath and can dismantle it. Wr iting or engraving names inflicts permanent damage. Strolling around narrow crowded places with bulky bags or backpacks might knock over an object or scratch a mural painting and ruin it. There are countless ways in which one can unknowing ly contribute to the destruction of cu ltural heritage. In 2020 there w ill be 1.6 billion visitors per year worldwide. Let us raise awareness of this issue so that we may jo in together to protect an d enjoy the diversity and ric hness of our cultural her itage. International Organization for Conservation o f Cultural Heritage (ICCROM)
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