Van Province

The Akdamar Church, an 1,100-year-old Armenian church situated on Akdamar Island in Lake Van, hosted its 12th special mass on Sept. 8.

Scores of people from across the country and around the world flocked to the island in the eastern province of Van to attend this significant annual event, held on the second Sunday of September.

With the studies carried out by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, governorship and municipality, the historical Akdamar Island of the eastern province of Van and the historical church on it has been lit up and the island has attracted attention with its new appearance.

A team of scientists has unearthed a Urartian monumental building complex in the eastern province of Van's Tuşba district, located within the historical castle known as Garibin Tepe.

Mehmet Işıklı, heading the excavation, expressed the team's astonishment at the findings, which included "pitos" (large storage containers) and exceptionally well-preserved mudbrick architecture.

In the eastern province of Van and the neighboring provinces, a squad of 17 members from the Coastal Police are saving the lives of people falling in the lakes, ponds, and rivers.

The squad of the Marine Police consisting of 17 people have intervened in many drowning cases in Van, Hakkari, Bitlis, Ağrı and Iğdır so far.

The historic Akdamar Church in the eastern province of Van has welcomed thousands from around the world for its 10th special mass, following its restoration and reopening as a museum in 2010.

The mass, which gathered thousands of local and international faithful in Van, was officiated by priest Harutyun Damadyan.

The attendees prayed and hymned in the historic church.

Mehmet Kuşman, who has been a volunteer guard at a Urartian castle in the eastern province of Van and is one of the few people in the world who speaks the Urartian language, has said that he will quit his voluntary job in November.

A report presented to the Turkish parliament subcommission on migration has shown that Turkey has so far constructed a 1,079-kilometer-long wall along its borders with Iran to prevent the illegal entry of migrants and that the entire construction is almost complete.

Mostly Afghans and Pakistanis travel on foot along the borders with Iran and enter Turkey.

Located in the eastern province of Van, the Muradiye Waterfall daze visitors with its breathtaking scenery during the autumn season. (AA Photo)

The Akdamar Church in Turkey's eastern province of Van will host its ninth special mass on Sept. 5 since reopening in 2010 after a hiatus of 95 years.

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Previously attended in the hundreds before the novel coronavirus pandemic struck last year, participation in the annual mass will once again be subject to limitations as part of efforts to prevent infection.

A view of the icicles formed and frozen parts of Muradiye Waterfall during the winter season in Muradiye district of Turkey's eastern Van province. (Source: AA)