The deep blue waters of this remote, high-altitude soda lake, ringed by snow-capped mountains up to 4,000 meters high, have a truly haunting beauty. Rocky mountain spurs run right down into the limpid waters; reed-fringed bays backed by lush, snow-melt fed fields are bordered by rows of stately poplars, whilst avocets and herons wade through breathlessly still marshland in search of prey. In early spring, blossoms coat the trees in the apricot and cherry orchards; later rare orchids bloom in the meadows.
At the tail end of the 19th century, skirting the lake en route to Bitlis, the formidable British traveler Isabella Bird wrote, “All along I am quite impressed with the resemblance which the southern shores of Lake Van bear to some of the most beautiful parts of the Italian Riviera.” Even today, Armenians, who established themselves in the area as early as the ninth century B.C., have a saying, “Van in this world, paradise in the next.”
Lake Van's premier attraction is not, however, its spectacular natural beauty. It is Surb Khach, the Church of the Holy Cross, picturesquely sited on the small island of Akdamar, a 20-minute boat ride from the mainland. Built between A.D. 915 and 921, it is arguably the most beautiful Armenian church in Turkey. The subject of a massive restoration project carried out under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture completed in April 2007, it heralded the beginnings of a tentative rapprochement between feuding neighbors Turkey and Armenia. The church is superbly proportioned, with its compact 12- by 15-meter cruciform plan surmounted by an elegant, polygonal drum capped with a pyramidal roof. Inside, the frescoes, formerly in a shocking state, have been sensitively restored, and it is easy to make out New Testament scenes such as the baptism of Christ, the raising of Lazarus and the Crucifixion.
But what makes this church so special are the relief carvings, which run in a series of five bands around the entire exterior of this red-sandstone wonder. Under the eaves is a frieze featuring the faces of humans and animals; beneath it runs a vine-scroll inhabited with men and various creatures. Lower down is a band of relief-carved animals, but the widest, most prominent band is given over to scenes of a truly religious nature, including Jonah appearing to dive from a boat into the jaws of a most unlikely looking whale. David takes on Goliath, sling in hand, and Abraham grasps his son Isaac by the hair, dagger at the ready. King Gagik, a member of the Artsruni family who ruled the Armenian kingdom of Vaspurakan at the time the church was built, is carved in bold relief, presenting a model of Surb Khach to Jesus. Fine art historians may sniff at the naivety of the carvings, which were heavily influenced by styles prevalent in nearby and politically dominant Iran and the Abbasid caliphate based in Baghdad, but their vibrancy is undeniable.
Most visitors, of course, make the obligatory trip out to Akdamar without realizing that there are literally dozens of other Armenian churches in the region -- several of them well-worth a visit if your appetite has been whetted by the Church of the Holy Cross. The most obvious one is the Church of St. John (Surb Hovhannes in Armenian) on the island of Çarpanak, a one-and-a-half-hour boat journey north of the harbor in Van town. Few people make it out here as the church is, as yet, little promoted and the cost of hiring the boat makes it prohibitive unless you have a group. It's worth the effort though. Whilst the substantial fore-church (zhamatun) of this 15th century monastery church may be constructed out of the familiar red sandstone, the main body of the structure, including its drum and pyramidal dome, is made from an attractive pale limestone, enlivened by bands of darker stone. There are several khachkars (carved crosses) built into the fabric of the structure and the setting; a tiny pear-shaped islet a stones throw from the tip of the peninsula opposite, is stunning. Visit in late spring, and you'll be bombarded by aptly named Armenian gulls defending the nests littering the island.
Easier to get to are the remains of the once-substantial monastery complex of Varagavank, know today in Turkish as Yedi Kilise (Seven Churches). Originally constructed in the eighth century, the shattered shells of the churches are now part and parcel of Yukarı Bakraçlı, a village 20 kilometers southeast of Van. Nestling in poplar stands, it is set high on the rocky west slopes of the distinctive volcanic peak of the 2,750-meter-high Mount Erek. The best-preserved church, now kept locked and looked after by a caretaker (he'll open up for you), is that of St. George. It must have been much rebuilt, as the British archaeologist cum diplomat Henry Layard, taking time out from his excavations at Nineveh and Babylon in the mid-19th century, describes the church as “a modern edifice.” He was more impressed with the monastery's location, saying: “It is beautifully situated near the mouth of a wooded ravine, half way up a bold mountain, which ends in snowy peaks. Spread beneath it is a blue lake and smiling plain.” Fronted by a zhamatun boasting some elaborate relief carvings, the main body of the church, extremely high in proportion to its ground area, is built to a cruciform plan. Traces of fresco survive, though the dome has partially collapsed, and villagers use the fore-church to sell handmade socks, scarves and other village crafts. There are also a few early-20th century black-and-white photographs showing the monastery in its former glory, complete with now-vanished multiple domes.
Further to the south, 25 kilometers northeast of Başkale (itself 75 kilometers south of Van), is the important sixth century church of Surb Bartolomeos. This substantial monastery church once sported three cupolas, but these have now collapsed. The western entrance has some beautiful relief carvings, but unfortunately the hill-top building is surrounded by razor-wire (it is part of an army camp) and is off-limits unless you gain permission from the military -- best done in Van. It's probably only worth coming here (you can at least look at the exterior of the church from the road in Albayrak village) if you head a further 20 kilometers on to the village of Yanal. Here is the fine sixth to seventh century Surb Echmiadzin in Soradir, a small church which, aesthetically, strove for height over bulk and which some architectural historians believe was the inspiration for the later Surb Khach on Akdamar. The spectacular rock formations nearby (optimistically named Vanadokya after their more famous counterparts in Cappadocia) near the village of Yavuzlar are also well worth a look. A trip out here can also be combined with the famous castle at Hoşap, which you pass en route to Başkale.
Back by the lake, but perched on a spectacular headland on the southern shores of the lake rather than on an island, is Surb Tovmas (Church of St. Thomas), around 30 kilometers east of the small quay opposite Akdamar Island. It is possible to hire a boat from here or drive from Van via the villages of Göründü and Altınsaç, from where it is an hour's walk. Dating back to the 14th century, though much rebuilt in 1581 and again in 1801, the compound wall has survived well, as has the main body of the church, though a big chunk of the pyramidal dome has collapsed.
If you are still not satisfied, try heading south to the village of Çatak, 40 kilometers from Van. The village, split by the gushing waters of the Botan Çayı, has the remains of the Church of St. John the Baptist, where the now roofless nave serves as a market garden. En route is the village of Elmacı, where the typically cruciform Surb Tikin presents a curious, irregular profile, as all its facing stones have been stripped. The villagers here -- as everywhere else where Armenians once dwelt -- will assume you are here looking for the treasure buried here by the Christians before they fled. The more adventurous can head over the near 3,000-meter-high Karabel pass to Bahçesaray, a gorgeous mountain village drowned in a sea of walnut trees. Above the river here is the small church with several beautifully carved khachkars set in its walls. According to Layard, when he visited this extremely remote area some 160 years ago, 40 of the 60 villages comprising the district were Armenian Christian. He was most rude about the Christians, possibly as they had no information for him about the ancient sites in the area, saying, “I found them even more ignorant than their fellow-countrymen in the districts around Van, whose stupidity has passed into Turkish proverb.”
With time, money and your own vehicle, you could spend weeks in the mountains and valleys around the shores of Lake Van, searching for ever more remote examples of Armenian Christian architecture and enjoy some fabulous scenery in the bargain.
Travel tips
Getting to Van: Turkish Airlines -- daily flights from İstanbul and Ankara. Pegasus -- daily from Ankara and İstanbul. SunExpress -- Mondays and Wednesdays from Antalya, daily from İzmir. Regular coaches from all parts of Turkey
Getting to Akdamar: A ferry leaves from the quay on the mainland opposite the island at frequent intervals in the summer. TL 5
Getting to Çarpanak: Hire a boat from Van harbor, which costs around TL 250. The boat holds up to 20 people and will wait for you to explore/picnic on the island.
Admission, permissions and opening hours: Akdamar, dawn-dusk, TL 3. Neither Çarpanak Island and church, nor any of the other churches mentioned here have admission fees or opening hours. To visit Surb Bartolomeos, try the Ayanis Travel Agency in Van (www.ayanis.com.tr) or Remzi at the Büyük Asur Hotel. Tel 0432 216 8792
Where to stay: Tamara Hotel, Kazım Karabekir Caddesi. It's the best of the city hotels. www.tamaraotel.com Tel 0432 214 3296
Şahin Hotel, central Van. Much cheaper than the above and perfectly adequate. www.otelsahin.com Tel 0432 216 3062
Where to eat: İmsak, Mareşel Fevzi Çakmak Caddesi. Van breakfasts are famous with honey, clotted cream, herbed cheese and much more. This small place is excellent.
Guides and maps: “The Book of Ahtamar Reliefs” (published by Turizm Yayınları), edited by Takeko Harada. “Armenian Van/Vaspurkan,” by Richard G. Hovannisian (Mazda Publishers Inc). “Blue Guide Turkey,” by Bernard McDonagh. “The Rough Guide to Turkey,” by Rosie Ayliffe, et al.. Map series No. 6 by cartographer Reinhard Ryborsch.
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