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. 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