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Ahlat is a town on the north shore of Lake Van in Turkey. It’s known for the large number of historic tombstones in the cemetery.
Introduction to Ahlat
Ahlat, originally named Khlat by the Armenians, has been ruled by several civilizations. This includes the Urartians, Armenians, Byzantines, Arabs, Marwanids, Seljuks, Ahlatshahs, Ayyubids, Georgians, Mongols, Ilkhanids, Ak Koyunlu, and Ottomans, among others. The town historically had a sizable Armenian minority and Kurdish majority. It’s now made up of mostly Kurds.
In addition to the cemetery, Ahlat has several impressive Seljuk period tombs scattered throughout town. The tombs, known as kümbet in Turkish, were meant to resemble Central Asian Turkish tents and can be found from Khorasan through Anatolia. They were usually built for rulers and their descendants and are usually two-storied. The ground floor is the burial chamber and the upper story is a prayer hall.
We spent a good half day exploring the attractions in town. We didn’t cover absolutely everything, but we were able to see all the main historic sites and then some.
Getting to Ahlat
The nearest major city is Bitlis, which is about 45 minutes away. If you don’t have your own transportation, you can catch a bus in Bitlis. The bus terminal in Ahlat is right in the center of town.
Getting Around Ahlat
Most of the historic attractions are on the west side of town but everything is pretty spread out. It would be impossible to see everything on foot. Without a car, you could hire a taxi for the day to take you to the major attractions.
Where to Eat in Ahlat
Choices are fairly limited, and all the restaurants are in the center of town away from the attractions.
Ahlat Dürüm Salonu
While walking through town, I asked a local shopkeeper to recommend a good place for lunch. He literally closed his shop and told us to follow him. He led us to this great little hole-in-the-wall selling kebabs and dürüm. We all had lentil soup and a few of us had meat or chicken dürüm. Everything was excellent and the prices were incredible. The owner and his family were extremely friendly and made sure we enjoyed our meal.
Ahlat Museum
A great place to introduce yourself to Ahlat is the Ahlat Museum (Ahlat Müzesi), which opened in 2018. It’s located next to the cemetery and gives a good overview of the town’s history. It also displays several impressive artifacts found in the area. The museum is open daily and admission for foreigners is €3 (as of August 2024).
Archaeological Hall
First is the Archaeological Hall, which features items from the Chalcolithic through Ottoman periods. According to the official website, the artifacts “provide information on culture, art, lifestyle, and belief systems of their respective periods”. The items are meant to “take visitors on a historical journey and arouse a sense of curiosity and excitement”.
Chalcolithic Age to Early Bronze Age
The first displays include items from the Chalcolithic Age and Early Bronze Age. Most artifacts from the Early Bronze Age are terracotta vessels.
Middle Bronze Age
Next is the Middle Bronze Age, with artifacts dated between 2000 and 1400 BC. The most impressive are the terracotta jars and a sistum. There are also some weapons on display.
Urartian Period (Middle Iron Age)
The section containing the Urartian period, which lasted from 900 to 600 BC, displays some of the most impressive artifacts in the museum. Jewelry makes up a couple display cases followed by bronze cauldrons, ladles, and belts.
One of the most impressive items is the Bulanık stone stele. This anthropomorphic figure is made of limestone and measures 1.4 x 0.6 meters. Another is the base of a stele of Urartian King Argishti I (r. 786-764 BC), which includes a cuneiform inscription.
Roman/Eastern Roman Periods
The Roman and Eastern Roman (Byzantine) section covers 69 BC through 649. It includes glass vessels as well as oil lamps and cross motifs carved on stone.
Ceramics
The exhibition in the Archaeological Hall continues with ceramics from the Seljuk period. The section begins with an example of a ceramic kiln. There are some interesting items that have been reconstructed as well as shards with brilliant designs.
The most impressive items are the multi-handled pithos and a lustre pitcher with intricate designs. There are also terracotta mercury cups.
Ottoman Period
Next are artifacts from the Ottoman period. On display is copper and brass jewelry as well as swords and daggers. The most interesting item is a brass rose water flask.
Coins
The Archaeological Hall rounds out with a collection of coins representing several of the civilizations to rule Ahlat. The rarest are from the Ahlatshahs, also known as the Shah-Armens. They ruled from 1100 to 1207.
Urban Memory Hall
The Urban Memory Hall covers the history of Ahlat. It features information on some of the civilizations that ruled the town as well as a display on the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 and Seljuk Sultan Alp Arslan (1029-1072).
The ethnographic section includes information on the Seljuk Square Cemetery and the cupola tombs scattered throughout town. There are also displays with items used by locals to make hemp shoes as well as walking stick manufacturing. Walking sticks have been made in Ahlat for several generations using walnut or ram and water buffalo horns. Some of them have ornate decorations or carved handles shaped like animals.
The final section covers the natural features of the area. The most important are Mount Süphan, the lake inside the Nemrut Caldera, and Ahlat Marsh. The march, which is west of town, contains 101 species of birds and several other types of plants and animals.
Lobby
Behind the reception desk, there’s a map of the Seljuk Square Cemetery. A few ram sarcophagi from the Aq Qoyunlu period are also on display. The inscription on the sarcophagus pictured below reads:
O God, have compassion and mercy upon who is lying here. This sarcophagus belongs to Muhammed, son of Veli, the modest man who reached martyrdom and bliss, a young leader who had a short life, who needs the grace and forgiveness of the supreme glorious and omnipotent God. He passed away in November-December 805.
Seljuk Square Cemetery
A short walk east of the Ahlat Museum is the Seljuk Square Cemetery (Ahlat Selçuklu Mezarlığı). It’s the largest historical Muslim cemetery in Turkey and the third largest in the world.
The Seljuk Square Cemetery occupies an area of 210 acres. There are approximately 9,000 graves dated between the 11th through 16th centuries. The graves contain the remains of scholars, craftsmen, officials, athletes, holy men, and more. Historians have identified the work of 32 craftsmen by analyzing the tombstones.
Types of Tombs
There are four types of tombs in the cemetery. Built-up sarcophagi, prismatic cist graves without tombstones, graves with tombstones, and chamber graves (akit). The most striking examples are the graves with tombstones, of which the tallest is 3.9 meters.
Inscriptions on tombstones and sarcophagi reveal information on the deceased and the name of the master who made the grave. Verses of the Quran, as well as inscriptions in Arabic, Persian, and Ottoman can also be found. Floral and geometric patterns, oil lamp motifs, and dragon figures are common decorations.
As far as chamber graves, 178 have been identified at the cemetery and there are thought to be over 300 throughout Ahlat. There are single room or multi-room examples, and they’re on a square or rectangular plan. The multi-room types were likely used as family graves, and there are very few examples outside of Ahlat.
Muslim Judges Section
The Muslim Judges section is the most famous part of the Seljuk Square Cemetery. It contains the tallest tombstones at the site and is the largest family burial plot.
The 45 tombs belong to Muslim Judges and Ameers as well as their children. They’re arranged side-by-side and date between the 13th and 16th centuries. 27 names and 21 graves have been identified.
One of the graves that has been identified belongs to Sehabettin Emir Gazi. The inscription on the tombstone reads:
The grave of Sihabettin Emir Gazi, the son of deceased Serafettin Ömer, the son of deceased Ebu Hasan Gazi, the son of Muhammed from Ahlat; a man, found peace and martyrdom, died at a young age, rightminded, the prettiest foall created, short lived, (in need of) the forgiveness of the Creator. He attained God’s mercy and forgiveness in 701 (Gregorian January 1302)
The Muslim Judges section is one of the only places in the entire cemetery you can get up close to the tombstones. It’s a good opportunity to see the intricate details and the craftsmanship involved in creating them. Look out for the tombstone with the Tree of Life engraving.
Path Through the Cemetery
The path through the Seljuk Square Cemetery is a boardwalk leading around the most important sections. In the past, it appeared that visitors had free rein and could walk anywhere they wanted.
While the path is nice, it’s too far away from several graves containing translations. It’s nearly impossible to read the signs. Also, there’s barely any information posted along the path. Hopefully the authorities will improve the situation in the future with better interpretive panels.
Tomb of Emir Bayındır
Outside the gates of the far north end of the Seljuk Square Cemetery is the tomb of Emir Bayındır (Emir Bayındır Kümbeti). Emir Bayındır was the grandson of Aq Qoyunlu Ruler Uzun Hasan. He was killed in November 1481 fighting a war against another Aq Qoyunlu ruler, Sultan Yâkub.
The tomb was built by his wife, Şah Selime Hatun, and designed by either a master from Ahlat or Azerbaijan. ¾ of the body is open and contains eight arched columns, forming a small balcony. It’s topped by a conical roof.
Mosque of Emir Bayındır
A few steps away is the Mosque of Emir Bayındır (Emir Bayındır Camii). It was built by his father, Rüstem Bey, in 1477. It’s built of cut stone and on a rectangular plan.
Harabeşehir
Around the corner you’ll find Harabeşehir. It’s a huge rock used as an ancient settlement dating back to the Neolithic period. It was once populated by the Urartians.
Researchers have found at least 500 caves in the area. They’ve been used for various purposes over the centuries, including homes, churches, tombs, food storage, and a military ammunition depot. The caves were inhabited until the 20th century.
You’re free to roam the entire site and climb into the caves. Some of them have multiple chambers deep into the rock, or have two stories. In the vicinity are several ruined buildings.
Emir Bayındır Bridge
A few steps away is the Emi Bayındır Bridge (Emir Bayındır Köprüsü). It’s believed to have been built by was built by Emir Bayındır, although there’s no inscription indicating this. It was repaired in 1954.
The bridge crosses over a stream with a series of cascades nearby. It’s 21 meters long and made entirely of cut stone. The arch spans 11.2 meters and is 5.6 meters high. There are stairs on both ends of the bridge, which doesn’t form a straight line.
Tomb of Hasan Sultan
On a hill overlooking Harabeşehir is a small cemetery containing the Tomb of Hasan Sultan (Hasan Sultan Kümbeti), also known as the Tomb of Hasan Padişah (Hasan Padişah Kümbeti). It was built in 1275 for Hüsâmeddin Hasan Aka. His vizier, Hasan Ali, is buried next to him along with Hasan Apka, the Mongol ruler of Ahlat and a grandson of Genghis Khan. Hasan Padişah refers to Hasan Apka.
The tomb is one of the most elegant in the entire region in terms of architecture and decoration. It’s cylindrical and sits on a square base, and is topped by a conical roof. It was restored in 1969. We admired the tomb from afar and didn’t actually get close to it.
Twin Tombs
Heading back towards the town center you’ll find the Twin Tombs (Çifte Kümbet), which are two nearly identical tombs standing next to each other. Both tombs have a lower floor serving as a burial chamber and an upper floor used as a prayer room. They were restored in 1969.
The tomb on the left belongs to Şirin Hatun Boğatay Aka, who died in 1281. It’s the larger of the two tombs and has richer decorations.
The tomb on the right belongs to Hüseyin Timur Esen Tekin, who died in 1279. His wife, Esen Tekin Hatun (d. 1280), is buried with him.
Ahlat Castle
Further south is Ahlat Castle (Ahlat Kalesi), which sits on the shore of Lake Van. The castle was built by Sultan Selim I after the 1514 Çaldıran expedition. It was expanded by Süleyman the Magnificent, who commissioned Mimar Sinan (c. 1490-1588) for the design.
When Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi (1611-1682) visited Ahlat in the 17th century, he reported there were 13 towers, 350 homes, a caravanserai, a hamam, a mosque, and 20 shops. War boats were always ready just offshore.
The castle is rectangular in shape and divided into two parts. The outer castle contains the neighborhood as well as two mosques and a hamam. The walls are mostly intact and run along three sides except the lake. Three gates provide access and there’s still a neighborhood inside.
The small inner castle is attached to the middle of the south wall. It has seven towers and two gates. The main gate is on the east side and features an Ottoman inscription.
Iskender Pasha Mosque
Next to the gate of the inner castle is the Iskender Pasha Mosque (İskender Paşa Camii). It was built by Iskender Pasha, the first governor of Van, between 1564 and 1565. The minaret, which is 31 meters high, was added in 1570.
The mosque is on a rectangular plan and measures 20.75 x 16.27 meters. The prayer hall is 13.05 x 12.83 meters and is topped by a single dome.
The Iskender Pasha Mosque survived intact until the end of the 19th century. It was heavily damaged by the Russians in 1915, who also looted the valuables and demolished the minaret. It was restored between 1990 and 1995. A hamam associated with the mosque sits across the street to the south.
Kadı Mahmud Mosque
A few steps away is the Kadı Mahmud Mosque (Kadı Mahmud Camii). It was built in 1584 by Kadi Mahmud, who was a member of a distinguished family in Ahlat. The mosque was restored in 1982.
The mosque is on a rectangular plan and measures 17.48 x 13.39 meters. The prayer hall covers an area of 13.39 x 13.39 meters and is topped by a single dome. The portico is topped by three small domes.
