History and archaeology / Aqueduct and cistern
Şamran (Menua) Canal
Edremit, Van
An ancient water canal commissioned by the Urartian King Menua about 2800 years ago, flowing between the gardens of Edremit and still used for irrigation.
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Its story
The canal, built to carry water from the springs at Gürpınar to the Urartian capital Tushpa and the Van Plain, was constructed in the time of King Menua (810-786 BC), according to the cuneiform inscriptions carved into the rocks along it. The canal, about 51–56 km long, flows over sloping terrain with retaining walls reaching 11 meters in places, and most of its route passes through Edremit. Because it was attributed in the Middle Ages to the Assyrian queen Semiramis, it is popularly called the Şamran or Şamiram Canal. Modernized by DSİ in the 1950s, the canal still irrigates thousands of hectares today. At the Kadembastı (Uğurlu Yer) locality southwest of Edremit, Urartian inscriptions belonging to the canal and terraced gardens can be seen; within the district, the canal continues to flow between the gardens.
Key facts
- Length
- ~51–56 km
- Period
- 9th-8th century BC (Menua)
- Admission
- Free
- Getting there
- Edremit district center, ~18 km from Van
- Visit duration
- 30 minutes
Trip purpose
- Free
- Photography
- Hiking
Location
38.41810, 43.29323
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Source: Web derlemesi (doğrulanmalı): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menua_Canal | https://van.ktb.gov.tr/TR-437607/samran-kanali.html | https://van.ktb.gov.tr/TR-437245/edremit.html | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edremit,_Van | https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1552483530