The Eastern Borders

The Borders of Eastern Anatolia were established after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and the War of Independence, and confirmed by the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923. These borders demarcate some potent and exotic boundaries: Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq. They also define some fascinating and exotic corners of the county.

Kars & Ani
Originally an Armenian Bagratid capital, Kars predates Ani. The city is still dominated by its fortress. The city, like the Armenian kingdom it controlled, fell victim to the powerful forces affecting the eastern regions of the Byzantine and the Ottoman Empires. Kars is a pleasant leafy town that reflects its Russian as well as its Armenian Christian and Muslim roots.
	Ani
	This city replaced Kars as the capital of the Bagratid Armenian kingdom. This city flourished between 954--1022. It fell into a long decline and was eventually destroyed by the Mongols. The ruin, literally on the border of Armenia, is a large open area offering wonderful vistas and surprises
Ararat This famous brooding volcano which dominates eastern Turkey is the largest mountain in Anatolia. In close proximity to the Iranian Border, this mountain has a presence that is impossible to avoid. Noah's Ark is reputed to be here, and clearly this part of the world has been inhabited since the beginnings of time. The wonderful han of Isak Pasa --a Kurdish lord who controlled access to the border-- still enchants today. This place is a photographer's dream.




Van The City of Van--once the capital of the ancient kingdom of the Urarturians is a bustling modern city on the shores of Lake Van. The city’s castle was built on a large rock promontory overlooking the lake and has caves and cuneiform writings dating from the eighth century BCE. Van is also famous for its cats which have one blue eye and one green eye. The town,since the days of the Urarturians, has been a major trading centre and it is still a major centre of carpets today. Cavustepe A few miles east of Van are the ruins of a major Urarturians city. Cavustepe offers visitors wonderful surprises and from the ancient city, it is possible to see irrigation ditches, dating from the eighth century BCE, which are still being used today. Hosap Separated from Cavustepe by about sixty kilometers and by two millennia, this Kurdish castle controlled a wonderful source of fresh water--hence its name--and a major trade route to both Iran and Iraq Some Touring Highlights: Sarakamis, Kars,Bagratid Armenians. Kars Castle, Ani, Kars Geese, Church of the Apostles, Church of St. Gregory, Mount Ararat, Noah’s Ark, Dogubeyazit, Isak Pasa Meteor Crater, Iran,Persia, Lake Van Van Castle, Rock of Van, Akadamar Island, Cavustepe. Hosap. Van Cats, Van carpets, Urarturians, Tatvan