The lake appeared below them, stretching endlessly.
It wasn't blue—it was turquoise. Almost green. Glittering in the sunlight.
Mountains rose on three sides. The city sprawled below.
And directly ahead, on the lake's shore, stood an enormous rock. Fortress walls crowned its peak.
"That's Van Castle,“ Dad said. ”Nearly 2,800 years old."
“Who built it?”
“The Urartians.”
“Who were the Urartians?”
“Let me tell you.”
The Kingdom of Lake Van
They began climbing toward the castle.
With each step, the lake grew larger behind them.
“The Urartians ruled the area around Lake Van between the 9th and 7th centuries BC,” their guide explained. “Their capital was Tushpa, which is near modern-day Van.”
“Why did they choose this place?”
“Because the land around the lake is fertile. And this rock is perfect for defense. When enemies tried to climb from below, defenders could watch from above.”
Selenga looked down.
He was right. From up here, you could see everything.
“The Urartians also built irrigation channels,” the guide continued. “Water channels for farming. Some of them still work today.”
Ancient Inscriptions
On one side of the rock face, carved writing covered the stone.
Chiseled deep into the cliff.
“What does this say?” Selenga asked.
“Urartian cuneiform script. An inscription from King Sarduri II. It describes his military campaigns.”
“Can people still read it?”
“Yes. Written 2,800 years ago, and we can still read it.”
Selenga studied the inscriptions carefully.
A king had carved his voice into stone.
And 2,800 years later, that voice remained.
The Lake
From the castle's highest point, Selenga gazed across the water.
Lake Van stretched to the horizon.
“Why is the lake such a strange blue-green color?” she wondered.
"The water has a unique chemical composition. It contains sodium bicarbonate—it's very salty. You can't drink it, but people use it for washing."
“Are there fish?”
“Only one type of fish can survive here. The pearl mullet. The environment is that special.”
“And 2,800 years ago, the lake was exactly the same.”
"Exactly the same. The Urartians couldn't drink from it either. They had to use separate water sources."
Selenga laughed.
“Same problems, 2,800 years later.”
What We Learned
1. Urartu was an ancient kingdom that ruled the Lake Van region from approximately 860 to 590 BC. Its capital, Tushpa, was located near present-day Van.
2. Van Castle was built on this dramatic rocky outcrop and has stood for over 2,800 years, making it one of the world's oldest continuously visible fortifications.
3. The Urartians were skilled engineers who built sophisticated irrigation channels and storage structures that demonstrate advanced knowledge of water management.
4. Lake Van has a unique ecosystem due to its high sodium bicarbonate content, which limits the types of life that can survive in it.
5. Urartian cuneiform inscriptions remain readable today and provide valuable historical records of the kingdom's military campaigns and rulers.
Questions to Discuss with Your Family
1. How does it feel knowing that people lived on the shores of this same lake 2,800 years ago?
2. Why would building a fortress on top of a rock be a smart defensive strategy?
3. What other ancient civilizations have left their mark on Turkey that you know about?