Akdamar Island

A small island in Lake Van reached by a short boat crossing from the southern shore, Akdamar is home to the Church of the Holy Cross, an Armenian cathedral built in 915–921 CE by King Gagik I of Vaspurakan. The church exterior is covered in a remarkable program of carved stone reliefs depicting biblical narratives, hunting scenes, and animal friezes in a style that blends Armenian, Byzantine, and Islamic decorative traditions. The pale volcanic stone of the building contrasts sharply with the blue expanse of the lake and the distant snowfields.