The Fortress of Van (Armenian: Վանի Բերդ, also known as Van Citadel; Kurdish: Kela Wanê; Turkish: Van Kalesi) is a massive stone fortification built by the ancient kingdom of Urartu during the 9th to 7th centuries BC, and is the largest example of its kind. It overlooks the ruins of Tushpa, the ancient Urartian capital during the 9th century, which was centered upon the steep-sided bluff where the fortress now sits. A number of similar fortifications were built throughout the Urartian kingdom, usually cut into hillsides and outcrops in places where modern-day Armenia, Turkey and Iran meet. Successive groups such as the Medes, Achaemenids, Armenians, Parthians, Romans, Sassanid Persians, Byzantines, Arabs, Seljuks, Safavids, Afsharids, Ottomans and Russians each controlled the fortress at one time or another. The ancient fortress is located just west of Van and east of Lake Van in the Van Province of Turkey.
Silva Tipple New Lake led an American expedition to the ruins in 1938-40.[1] Most of the finds and field records from this were lost in the sinking of the S.S. Athenia in 1940.
The lower parts of the walls of Van Citadel were constructed of unmortared basalt, while the rest was built from mud bricks.
Such fortresses were used for regional control, rather than as a defense against foreign armies. The ruins of this fortress sit outside the modern city of Van, where they support walls built in the medieval era.[2][full citation needed]
At the Van Citadel, there is a "royal stable" (Siršini) of the dimensions of 20 m length, 9 m width and 2,5 m height, carved in rock. Oxen and sheep were held here to be sacrificed for the Urartian gods, according to the inscriptions discovered at the location.[3]
A stereotyped trilingual inscription of Xerxes the Great from the 5th century BC is inscribed upon a smoothed section of the rock face, some 20 meters (60 feet) above the ground near the fortress. The niche was originally carved out by Xerxes' father, King Darius, but left the surface blank. The inscription survives in near perfect condition and is divided into three columns of 27 lines written in (from left to right) Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian.
Galleryedit
Citadel with the ruins of the city of Tushpa below
Van Fortress
The walls of the fortress (Russian Archeological Society, 1916)
^Çiftçi, Ali (2017). The Socio-Economic Organisation of the Urartian Kingdom. Brill. pp. 113–114. ISBN9789004347588.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Van Fortress.
Cuneiform Inscription at Van
Extensive picture site of the Kale area and the old town
April 11, 2024
fortress, fortress, armenian, Վանի, Բերդ, also, known, citadel, kurdish, kela, wanê, turkish, kalesi, massive, stone, fortification, built, ancient, kingdom, urartu, during, centuries, largest, example, kind, overlooks, ruins, tushpa, ancient, urartian, capita. The Fortress of Van Armenian Վանի Բերդ also known as Van Citadel Kurdish Kela Wane Turkish Van Kalesi is a massive stone fortification built by the ancient kingdom of Urartu during the 9th to 7th centuries BC and is the largest example of its kind It overlooks the ruins of Tushpa the ancient Urartian capital during the 9th century which was centered upon the steep sided bluff where the fortress now sits A number of similar fortifications were built throughout the Urartian kingdom usually cut into hillsides and outcrops in places where modern day Armenia Turkey and Iran meet Successive groups such as the Medes Achaemenids Armenians Parthians Romans Sassanid Persians Byzantines Arabs Seljuks Safavids Afsharids Ottomans and Russians each controlled the fortress at one time or another The ancient fortress is located just west of Van and east of Lake Van in the Van Province of Turkey Van FortressVan TurkeyVan Fortress as seen from the northwestVan FortressShow map of TurkeyVan FortressShow map of Near EastCoordinates38 30 09 N 43 20 24 E 38 50250 N 43 34000 E 38 50250 43 34000TypeFortressSite informationOpen tothe publicYesConditionLarge sections of walls are still standing Site historyBuilt8th and 7th centuries BCMaterialsUnmortared basalt lower walls and mud bricksDemolishedPartiallySilva Tipple New Lake led an American expedition to the ruins in 1938 40 1 Most of the finds and field records from this were lost in the sinking of the S S Athenia in 1940 The lower parts of the walls of Van Citadel were constructed of unmortared basalt while the rest was built from mud bricks Such fortresses were used for regional control rather than as a defense against foreign armies The ruins of this fortress sit outside the modern city of Van where they support walls built in the medieval era 2 full citation needed Contents 1 The Royal Stable 2 Achaemenid inscription 3 Gallery 4 References 5 External linksThe Royal Stable editAt the Van Citadel there is a royal stable Sirsini of the dimensions of 20 m length 9 m width and 2 5 m height carved in rock Oxen and sheep were held here to be sacrificed for the Urartian gods according to the inscriptions discovered at the location 3 Achaemenid inscription editMain article Xerxes I s inscription at Van A stereotyped trilingual inscription of Xerxes the Great from the 5th century BC is inscribed upon a smoothed section of the rock face some 20 meters 60 feet above the ground near the fortress The niche was originally carved out by Xerxes father King Darius but left the surface blank The inscription survives in near perfect condition and is divided into three columns of 27 lines written in from left to right Old Persian Elamite and Babylonian Gallery edit nbsp Citadel with the ruins of the city of Tushpa below nbsp Van Fortress nbsp The walls of the fortress Russian Archeological Society 1916 nbsp Annals of Sarduri 1915 nbsp Stairs at the fortress nbsp Xerxes I s inscription near the Van CitadelReferences edit Who was who in America Marquis Who s Who 1943 ISBN 978 0 8379 0205 0 The Seventy Wonders of the Ancient World Ciftci Ali 2017 The Socio Economic Organisation of the Urartian Kingdom Brill pp 113 114 ISBN 9789004347588 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Van Fortress Cuneiform Inscription at Van Extensive picture site of the Kale area and the old town Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Van Fortress amp oldid 1211462728, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
