Historic · Varto, Muş
Varto Kayalıdere Ancient City
An Urartian hilltop fortress city on the shore of the Alpaslan-2 dam lake.
- History
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Also known as Kale Şehri (Castle City), the Varto Kayalıdere ancient city stands on a hill by the shore of the Alpaslan-2 dam lake, about 20 kilometres from the Varto district centre. Excavated from 1965 onwards, the settlement includes a fortress, a temple, a wine cellar and graves; its massive stone blocks date to the reign of the Urartian king Sarduri II (764-735 BC). Bronze lion figurines and belt fragments found here are displayed at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara.