Akdamar Island

About

Akdamar Island (Akdamar Adası), also known as Aghtamar (Aġt’amar) or Akhtamar (Axt’amar, Kurdish: Girava Axtamarê), is the second largest of the four main islands in Lake Van, in eastern Turkey. About 0.7 km2 in size, it is situated approximately 3 km from the shoreline. At the western end of the island, a hard, grey, limestone cliff rises 80 m above the lake's level (1, 912 m above sea level). The island declines to the east to a level site where a spring provides ample water. It is home to the 10th century Armenian Holy Cross Cathedral, which was the seat of the Armenian Apostolic Catholicosate of Aghtamar from 1116 to 1895.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.