City of Van
City in Western Armenia:
Founded: 9th century BC
Area 1938 km²
Height: 1727 m
Population: 312.5 thousand.
The city of Vanis located in Turkey,in Western Armenia.
The city was founded in the 9th century. BC. king of the Urartian stateSarduri I. It was the capital of the country and was originally calledTushpain honor of the goddess Tushpuea. At that time, 2-3-story stone buildings, large streets, baths and other public buildings, a powerful irrigation system, etc. were built in the city. The city citadel, which was of great military importance and was built on the rocks, has survived to this day . It retained its importance until 1915. Van is one of the unique cities in the world that has existed since its founding.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the city was divided into two main parts – districts. The western part of the city, called theMain Cityor Cahakamech, was surrounded by walls on three sides. There were 4 city doors here. And the eastern part of the city had rich vegetation, lush gardens, and was calledAygestan. On the north-eastern side of Van there is a rock about 1 km long, rich in cuneiform inscriptions. On this rock you can find traces of the wall of the Shamiram fortress and other structures. Lake Van is located in the western part of the city.
Armenians lived in Van until 1915. Duringthe Armenian Genocidethe residents of Van organized heroic self-defense against Turkish troops and left the city.
