BITLIS TURKEY

Bitlis

Bitlis isa historical city offering various cultural and natural richness to visit.Bitlis is a convenient tourism destination any time in any season with AhlatTombstones which made the Tentative UNESCO World heritage List, AhlatRuins dating back to the Urartu, Bitlis Castle fromthe time of Alexander the Great as well as several tombs, mosques, castles,caravanserais, madrasas and museums.

Seljuk Cemetery in Ahlat coversa 52-acre area and has 8103 graves. It is the largest ancient cemetery of therealm of Islam as well as Anatolia. Dating back to the 11th to 16th centuries,the Cemetery houses four types of graves: built-up tombs, prismatic sarcophagiwith or without a headstone, and funnel (chamber tomb). Headstones in theSeljuk Open Cemetery in Ahlat are a mixture of the obelisks (balbal) of theCentral Asian shaman tradition and the Islamic tradition that succeeds it.Headstones bear information about the deceased, as well as epitaphs, literarywords, verses of the Koran and hadiths on the front side, and the name of themaster who made the tombstone, and ornamentations with letters and geometricshapes on the back side. Headstones in the cemetery are rich in number as wellas form, aesthetic value and strength, which gives them a distinguished statusin Turkish and global history of art.

Ahlat Tombstones entered the Tentative UNESCOWorld heritage List as “The Tombstones of Ahlat the Urartianand Ottoman citadel”. 

Ruins of Ahlat is a settlement carvedin rocks in Ahlat, one of the first settlement places in Eastern Anatolia, inthe Neolithic age.

Tombs

In Bitlis and Ahlat, there are a lot of tombs datingback to the Seljuk and İlhanlı times, which stand out with their decorationsand architectural design. They are the finest examples of Seljuk mausoleums.Tombs appear to have been shaped after tents. Characterized as mausoleums, thetombs are usually two-story buildings with the burial chamber at the bottomfloor and a prayer room at the top floor.

Usually built for beys, their descendants and families,these tombs are a mixture of the pre-Islamic (kurgan) and Islamic burialtraditions of Turks.

Make sure that you visit Çifte Kümbet (TwinTombs), the Tombs of Usta Şagirt, Emir Bayındır, and HasanPadişah.

Bitlis Castle 

Bitlis Castle was built by Badlis,a commander of Alexander the Great in 330 BC. The Castle is 2800 metres incircumference and 56 metres high, and enclosed by 7-metre-thick fortifiedwalls. According to old accounts, the upper castle housed a castle, 300households, an inn and a mosque, and the lower castle comprised a bazaar withiron gates at both ends, a bedesten (covered bazaar), andseveral hundred houses. Among them, only the Castle survives. 

Museum of Ahlat

The Museum opened in 1971, and serves as a localmuseum since it is the only museum of the area. Displaying prehistoric andancient artifacts from the time of the Urartians and the Palaeolithic Age, theMuseum draws attention of the archaeology and history enthusiasts.

Coastal Castle of Ahlat

Its built by Mimar Sinan, commissioned by Suleiman theMagnificent on his way back from the Third Ottoman-Safavid War, the CoastalCastle of Ahlat is a rectangular lakeside castle with relatively low walls and13 towers. With two surviving historical mosques and several houses inside, theCastle also has various artifacts.

Historical City Centre ofBitlis

Its located on a valley full of historical structures,the city centre of Bitlis is a popular destination with its architectural styleand mystical atmosphere. Bitlis resembles an open-air museum with manyhistorical buildings.

El Aman Caravanserai

Located on the Bitlis-Tatvan highway and the ancientSilk Road itinerary, El Aman Caravenserai is an Ottomanbuilding from the 16th century. Built by Hüsrev Pasha, the Beylerbey of Van, itis the largest caravanserai in Anatolia. It is located in the intersection ofthe Caravan Road, Pilgrim´s Road and SilkRoad, and played a key role in ensuring security and meeting the needs ofcaravans. 

Bitlis Houses

Usually separated from the street by a high wall,closed to outside but equally free and original inside, Bitlis houses werebuilt from uniform face stones with a flat soil top. Giving a rather stillimpression from outside, the crowned gates of these houses imply that the realmystery lies within. Bitlis houses are like a gateway to a spacious worldopening to humane traits with stone-tiled patios and gardens full of fruittrees.

Ulu Mosque

Located at the city centre, the Mosque was built bySeljuks in the 12thcentury.           

Kef Castle in Adilcevaz

It is on Mount Kef near Adilcevaz. Built by theUrartians, the Castle dates back to the 2000s BC. Only the remnants of thecastle have survived. 

Zal Pasha Mosque

The Mosque was named after Zal Pasha, a vizier ofSuleiman the Magnificent, and is located on the side of Lake Van on theAhlat-Adilcevaz Road. The Mosque was built from Ahlat stone, and has 12 domes. 

Adilcevaz Coastal Castle

It is located on the side of Lake Van. Built in 16thcentury, only remnants of the Castle survive today, and there is a cave namedDavullu inside the castle. There are horseshoe-shaped marks on the cave.According to a story, Ali ibn Abi Talib rode to the cave to stay the night,leaving the marks. 

İhlasiye Madrasa

Located in the city centre, the Madrasa was built bythe Seljuks in the 13th century. A masterpiece of the Seljuk architecture, theMadrasa stands out with rich motifs and ornamentations on its walls.

White Church in Mutki

It is located on a slope in İkizler village of Mutkidistrict. Estimated to have been built in 900s, the structure was used as amonastery where priests were trained. Only the ruins of the structure remaintoday.

Nemrut Ski Resort

Bitlis has great potential of winter tourism since ithas a long winter. Giving the opportunity to enjoy the view of Lake Van whileskiing, Nemrut Ski Resort is one of the oldest ski resorts in Türkiye.

The chairlift system has a lift length of 2550 metresand carriage capacity of 1000 passengers, allowing visitors to enjoy skiing tothe fullest with a wonder of nature - Nemrut Crater Lake on the one side, andthe immense view of Lake Van on the other. 

Lake Van and Cable Wakeboarding

Lake Van has a soda content and long beaches along theshores of Bitlis in particular. In addition to sea-sand-sun type of vacations,water sports are available in Lake Van. Among the districts of Bitlis, Tatvanand Adilcevaz stand out with water sports. 

Bitlis Shores of Lake Van

The largest lake in Türkiye with a surface area of3765 km². 1876 km² of Lake Van is in the borders ofBitlis. It is a tectonic and volcanic barrier lake in terms of its formation.The lake has an altitude of 1700 metres and a maximum depth of more than 100metres. Ferry cruises are available between Tatvan and Van onLake Van.

The lake is surrounded by Tatvan, Ahlat and Adilcevaz withtheir unique natural beaches. Beaches of the lake are about 600 kilometre-longin total, and most of them are natural beaches.