You are currently viewing Lake Van

Lake Van

Amazing Places in Turkey

***

A saline soda lake that is famous for its exceptionally blue water. It’s 119 kilometers (74 mi) across its widest point with a total area of 3,755 km2, which makes it the largest lake in Turkey.

According to the legends, there is also a monster living in the lake, similar to the legends of the Loch Ness Monster.

Van Lake is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country in Van district. It is a saline soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. Lake Van is one of the world’s largest endorheic lakes (having no outlet). The original outlet from the basin was blocked by an ancient volcanic eruption. Although Lake Van is situated at an altitude of 1,640 m (5,380 ft) with harsh winters, it does not freeze due to its high salinity except occasionally the shallow northern sectionIshak Pasa Saray, constructions started in 1685 and were completed in 1784. it’s one of the most beautiful places in the whole of TurkeyDo not miss the spectacular site of The Ishak Pasha palace, only 6 km from Dogubayazit. Ishak Pasha, Ottoman governor of the province, constructed the palace in the 17th-century in a mixture of architectural styles. Nearby you can see a bas-relief of an Urartian king, and a rock tomb from the ninth century B.C. Near Dogubeyazit, Turkey’smost scenic natural monument, Mount Agri rises to a height of 5137 meters. To see the place where it is thought that Noah’s Ark came aground, go to Uzengili village, 25 km east of Dogubeyazit. Be sure 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.Tatvan is a city at the western end of Lake Van, and is the regional center of the identically-named district within Bitlis Province in eastern Turkey. It has about 96,000 inhabitants.Tatvan is connected by Train ferry across 96 km of Lake Van to Van which avoids 250 km of railway construction in mountainous terrain. This is a low capacity route which will be replaced by a proper railway when traffic increases.