Kent Akademisi

Abstract

The ancient city of Van, located south of Van Fortress, has been utilized by various civilizations from the Urartians to the present day. The city is surrounded by double-row walls on the east, south, and west, while the north is enclosed by Van Fortress. In 1915-18, it was occupied by Russian-Armenian forces. In 1917, after Russian forces withdrew following the Bolshevik Revolution, the city's architectural structures were systematically burned and destroyed by gangs. Life ceased in the city after 1918, and urban development began in present-day Van. From 1918 to 1995, the city was neglected, succumbing to the damage caused by nature and treasure hunters, gradually sinking into the ground. In 1995, various institutions initiated excavation, project, and restoration efforts in the city.
The Kale Alt Sarnıç, located in the northern central part of the ancient city of Van, has consistently been in the public eye due to various treasure legends circulating among all levels of society and treasure hunters. Many treasure hunters lost their lives in these cisterns due to exposure to harmful gases such as methane and carbon dioxide. The Kale Üst Sarnıçı, the second cistern in the Old City of Van and Van Fortress, consists of round-domed cisterns with a natural rock-embedded staircase and two-story flat-roofed cisterns. In 2000, the Kale Üst Sarnıcı was accidentally discovered as a result of treasure hunters' excavations. These cisterns, located in the historical Van Fortress and Old City of Van, are significant architectural water structures in terms of their location, architectural structure, and technical features. The conservation and restoration of Kale Üst Sarnıçı were carried out by the Van Governorship in 2011. Ensuring transportation between Van Fortress and the Old City allows local and foreign visitors to panoramic views of both the Old and New City of Van.