Van Castle; The beating heart of Oarato’s ancient civilization

For centuries, an ancient castle has been built on top of a solid rock overlooking the lake and has been sitting as a silent guard watching history. Van Castle, located on the eastern shore of Lake Van, displays the grandeur and glory of past civilizations, especially the Kingdom of Urartu.

Van Türkiye Castle invites you to an unforgettable adventure with its stunning views. On one side of the castle, you will see a stunning view of Lake Van and Mount Arak, and on the other side, you will see a view of the city and the sights of Van. Also, the remains of the old city of Van can be seen from the top of the castle hill.

Van Castle is one of the must-see places in Türkiye that is worth visiting at least once. It is interesting to know that the only royal inscription outside of Iran, which dates back to the Achaemenid period, is in this castle. Get ready to join us on this historical journey from Alibaba magazine.

Introducing Van Castle

Van Kalesi Castle is one of the important works of Turkey, which is as old as ancient civilizations. Built in the 9th century BC by the kingdom of Urartu, this castle plays an important role in the history of the region. The name of this castle in Urartian language is Toshpa Castle.

Photo from: Artofwayfaring website

The fortress was the capital of the Urartos for 250 years, but was later occupied by the Assyrians, Ottomans and other civilizations, each of which left signs of their presence there.

This castle is built on a rock with a length of 1345 meters, a width of 200 meters and a height of 100 meters. Evliya Chalabi, the famous Ottoman traveler, likened the giant rock of Van Castle to a kneeling camel. Van Castle was registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016.

Photo from: Artofwayfaring website

Where is Van Castle?

The historical Van Castle is located in the Van Province of Turkey, the city of Van and on the southern shore of Lake Van. This castle is located at a distance of 5 kilometers from the center of Van city and on a large stone mass in the middle of the Van plain.

The location of Van Castle on Google Map

Access route to Van Castle

To go to Van Castle, you can use your own vehicle or Van city public transportation.

To go to the castle by car, you can use Melen and Sambal streets. These paths lead you to the western entrance of the castle. Using routing software can also help in finding the correct route.

Photo from: Goturkiye site

But if you intend to use public transportation, “Kale” vans or “Dolmosh” are a good option. Kale vans depart from Panjrah square in the center of Van city. They stop on Eskele Street and near Hazrat Omar Mosque and will bring you near Van Castle.

Guide to go to Van Castle from Tehran

The land distance between Tehran and Van is 952 km, which takes 11 hours without stopping. If you start your journey from Tehran, you must go to Tabriz first. After that, by crossing the border of Razi, you can enter Turkey and then the city of Van.

Photo from: Stanford website

You can also buy a plane ticket to travel to Van. There are many flights between Tehran and Van. Of course, the flights of this route usually stop at one or two airports.

Before the outbreak of the corona virus, the Tabriz-Van train was also active. But currently, the train of this route is still not operating.

The best time to visit Van Castle

In spring and autumn, the weather is milder and more pleasant, making it ideal for outdoor activities and exploring the castle and its surroundings. If the weather is important to you, be sure to choose one of these two seasons to visit Van Castle.

Photo from: Wikimedia site

In the summer season, the temperature reaches about 30 degrees Celsius; But considering that most local festivals and events are held in this season, it can give you a different experience.

In the winter, it may be cold and snowy. Of course, seeing the castle covered in snow is spectacular.

Photo from: Yuix site

Visiting hours of Van Castle

In the first 6 months of the year, the time to visit Van Castle in Van city is from 8 am to 7 pm.

In the second six months of the year, it is possible to visit the castle from 8 am to 5 pm.

Photo from: Turkishmuseums website

The cost of visiting Van Castle

Currently, visiting the castle is free.

History of Van Castle

The construction of Van Castle dates back to the time of the Urartos in the 9th century BC. The Urartos were an ancient civilization that lived in the present-day areas of Armenia, eastern Türkiye, and northwestern Iran. Van Castle served as the administrative and military center of the Urartos and has shown the power and importance of this civilization in the region.

Photo from: Wikimedia site

The geological layers of this place include the early people of the Caucasus, Urartians, Medes, Persians, Romans, Parthians, Sassanians, Arabs, Byzantines, Seljuks, Armenians, Ilkhans, Mongols, Qaraqionlu, Safavids and even Ottomans. Each of these civilizations have made changes in the structure and architecture of the castle.

Photo from: I0wp site

These historical changes and transformations have made Van Turkey a symbol of interaction and cultural exchange between different civilizations and gain a high historical value.

Photo from: Thebrainchamber site

In the Middle Ages and the Islamic era, Van Castle still maintained its importance and became one of the important castles in the defense of the region and the control of trade routes. With the passage of time and political and military changes, Van Castle played different roles, but always remained as a strategic and defensive center.

Van castle inscription

The inscription of Xerxes of Van Castle is one of the important historical works from the 5th century BC. This inscription was carved by Xerxes the Great, the Achaemenid king, on a flattened part of the rock surface, about 20 meters above the ground near Van Castle and on its southern side. The site for the inscription was prepared by Darius, Xerxes’ father, but he was never able to complete it.

Photo from: Wikimedia site

In order to fill this void, King Xerxes ordered an inscription to be made and mentioned the following:

“King Darius, my father, made good things by the grace of Ahuramazda and ordered this niche to be dug, but because he did not make an inscription, I ordered this inscription to be made.”

Photo from: Thetripgoeson site

This inscription consists of three columns of 27 lines and is written in old Persian, Babylonian and Elamite languages. The trilingual inscription of Xerxes significantly contributed to the decipherment of the Old Persian script by Eugene Bernoff in the middle of the 19th century.

Architecture of Van Castle

The castle is a combination of different materials and construction techniques. The walls of the lower part of the castle are made of basalt stone without mortar, while the rest of the parts are made of clay bricks. This fort, which was built for regional control, contains the royal and governmental artifacts of the Kingdom of Urartu.

Photo from: Turkisharchaeonews website

These works include walls and foundations, floors carved from bedrock, kings’ chambers, outdoor shrines, royal annals carved on stones, columns with inscriptions, building inscriptions, etc. The historic Van Castle has all the ingredients of a large and developed government structure.

Photo from: Thebrainchamber site

The magnificent walls of the castle are built on stepped stone terraces, which represent the unique Urartian architecture. Serdor Tower (Serdurburch), which is located at the western tip of Van Castle, is considered the first building of this castle. This tower, which was built by Sarduri I, the founder of the kingdom of Urartu, measures 13 x 47 meters with a height of 4 meters.

Photo from: Turkisharchaeonews website

The inner castle, built at the highest point of the castle, contains a complex of palaces and temples. This area is surrounded by 10 meters high walls and its entrance is from the west side. In addition, the New Palace and its surroundings show the basic features of Urartian building construction and infrastructure, including storerooms, platforms, and drainage systems.

Photo from: Turkisharchaeonews website

There are eight stone tombs in the southern facade of Van Castle. The architectural features of these tombs are the main reason for the ranking of Urartian architects among the most skilled architects of the Near East. In some examples, the rooms of these multi-room tombs reach a height of 9 meters and an area of ​​200 square meters. Carving such a large mass and implementing a regular and symmetrical design requires special mathematical and architectural knowledge.

Different parts of Van Castle

This fort is divided into three parts and its exit extends from the west to the east in a gentle slope. Each of these parts has its own characteristics and uses.

One of the important parts of this castle is the “Royal Stable” which is 20 meters long, 9 meters wide and 2.5 meters high created in stone. This stable was used to keep the animals that were sacrificed to the gods of Urartu.

Photo from: Turkisharchaeonews website

Van Castle also includes the stone tombs of Sarduri II, Manoa Statue, Mother and Daughter Open Temple and Sardor Tower, each of which represents different historical and cultural parts of this fort.

In ancient times, the rock of the historical castle of Van was connected to the lake and had a pier called Madir Tower. Inside the fort, there are defensive walls, stone chambers, regular tombs, stone steps and an underground water tank.

Photo from: Tripadvisor site

Sightseeing places near Van Castle

Van Museum

Opened in the spring of 2020, the Van Museum is one of the largest archaeological museums in Turkey and the best place to learn about the Urartu civilization and the Kingdom of Van. This museum is dedicated to the history, archeology and anthropology of the entire Van province and mainly focuses on the Urartu civilization.

We suggest you to visit this museum before visiting the castle. Van Museum is located right at the bottom of Van Castle Hill.

Photo from: Tmgrup website

This museum displays models of nearby castles, such as Ayanis and Chavashtepe. There are also many carvings of Urartu gods in this museum. Offering collections of Urartian art and ritual artifacts, Van Museum allows visitors to learn about various aspects of Urartian life, including their weapons, architecture, clothing, food, and calligraphy.

Van Kedi Villası

You have probably seen the picture of Van’s colored-eyed cats; White-bodied cats with different colored eyes. Van Cat House has provided a unique space for visitors to get to know Van cats up close.

Photo from: Instagram site

If you are interested in animals and especially cats, visiting the cat house is a must! This center is located at a distance of 12 kilometers from Van Castle, which can be reached in 19 minutes by car.

Van İskele Sahili Pier

Loch Van Pier is an ideal place for a stroll along Loch Van. You can also sit on the benches located on the pier and enjoy the natural scenery around you.

Photo from: Squarespace site

In this pier, there are restaurants, cafes, local shops and an amusement park that you can use. The distance from the pier to Van Türkiye Castle is 4 km, which can be reached in about 8 minutes.

Photo from: Photographybyigor website

Kaya Çelebi Mosque

Kaya Chalabi Mosque is located among the ruins of the old city of Van, near the southern walls of the city. This mosque is in the form of a cube with a dome, whose walls are made of red and white carved stones. There is a porch with five domed openings on the north side and a cylindrical minaret on the northeast corner of the mosque.

Photo from: vanguzel site

Kaya Chalabi Mosque was built by Kaya Chalabizadeh of Kochi Bay in 1660 AD. Van Castle is located 2 kilometers away from this mosque.

Stay near Van Castle

There are many accommodation centers near Van Castle and especially in the center of Van city:

• Conforim Hotel (3.4 km distance)
• Toprak Hotel (4.7 km away)
• Doubletree by Hilton One Hotel (4.8 km distance)
• Dimet Park (5.4 km distance)

Recommendations for visiting Van Castle

• Due to the roughness of the path, it is necessary to wear suitable shoes.
• Bring water and snacks with you.
• Van Castle offers a unique view of the sunset over Lake Van. Be sure to time it so that you are there at sunset.

Photo from: Stockfood site

• There are few signposts in this place. Therefore, it is necessary to ask for an ID card when you encounter unknown people and offer their help.
• Our suggestion is that you must visit Van Museum before visiting Van Castle in Türkiye. Useful information about the history of Urartu castle and civilization is presented in this museum.
• There is also a parking lot in the area of ​​the castle.