Van - Old Town

The view from the citadel rock over the ruined old town of Van is impressive. The town walls which can easily be identified extended as far as Lake Van. The area destroyed during the Russian troops' withdrawal was eventually abandoned in favor of the new town to the east. The site is now an open-air Museum and part of the national park designated by UNESCO as the "Citadel and Old Town of Van". Restoration work and excavations are currently in progress as the old town contains many important monuments from the Islamic period despite all the destruction.