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Kefkalesi

 
In the hills above Adilcevaz, about 10km/6mi further north, are the ruins of a Urartian town. Its lofty situation means that the final lap of the journey must be made on foot (with a guide, about half an hour). Scattered on a sizable plateau at an altitude of 2,200m/7,220ft, the ruins date from the time of Rusa II (seventh century B.C.); they include remains of town defenses made from massive blocks of stone, a fortress with a bastion, storerooms containing huge storage jars, and a vast 30-roomed palace.

Must-see attractions nearby:
The most typically Urartian features are the corner projections on the rough-hewn stone blocks, partially decorated with reliefs. Many scholars identify this site with Qallania where, in 714 B.C. during the Eighth Campaign, Sargon II halted with his Assyrian troops. Further to the northeast, among the foothills of Süphan Dag, there are traces of another Urartian building with Cyclopean walls (guide essential).

Below the ruins of the citadel stand the remnants of an eighth/ninth century Armenian monastery church known as "The Wonder of Ardzgui".

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