History and archaeology / Castle
Kef Castle
Adilcevaz, Bitlis
A castle-city built by the Urartian king Rusa II on a rocky ridge at about 2,200 m on the foothills of Mount Süphan, north of Adilcevaz.
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Its story
The castle was founded in the 7th century BC by the Urartian king Rusa II; in his inscription, the king says that he founded a new settlement here that he named 'the city of Haldi in the land of Ziuquni'. It stands on a rock about 6 km north of Adilcevaz, controlling the road descending to the Lake Van basin. The first excavations were carried out in the 1960s by Emin Bilgiç and Baki Öğün, uncovering basalt column bases, masses of burnt mudbrick and finds of Urartian art. The burnt layers suggest that the castle ended in a violent fire. In new excavations ongoing since 2021, the discovery of kitchen and service rooms and traces of blue paint has been announced. From the hilltop there is a wide panorama of Lake Van and the Adilcevaz plain.
Key facts
- Period
- 7th century BC (Urartu, Rusa II)
- Elevation
- About 2,200 m
- Getting there
- About 6 km north of Adilcevaz, dirt road
- Visit duration
- 1–1.5 hours
Trip purpose
- Seasonal
- Photography
- Hiking
Location
38.83346, 42.71901
Where to eat nearby
No food & drink venues listed nearby.
Map data: © OpenStreetMap contributors; Overture Maps
Reviews
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Source: Web derlemesi (doğrulanmalı): https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kef_Kalesi | https://keibi.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/KEI00011602/Details?lng=en | https://www.haberturk.com/kef-kalesi-nde-2-bin-700-yillik-mutfak-ve-hizmet-odalari-bulundu-3518352 | https://goturkiye.com/bitlis/see | https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/183026112