Hosap Castle Located in the village of Güzelsu, approximately 50 km from the city center of Van, Hoşap Castle is a medieval fortress constructed in 1643 by Sarı Süleyman Bey, the chief of the Kurdish Mahmudi tribe. The name "Hoşap" translates to "beautiful water" in Kurdish. While the castle itself is relatively recent in historical terms, it is built near an ancient Urartian fortress. According to historian Mehmed Top, Hoşap’s history dates back to the Kingdom of Urartu, when it served as a military stronghold at the crossroads of two important trade routes. Throughout history, the region was conquered by several great empires, including the Persians, the Macedonian army, and later, the Seleucid, Roman, and Byzantine empires. In the 10th century, the area became part of the Vaspurakan Kingdom, an independent Armenian kingdom centered around Lake Van. Hoşap Castle, set in the picturesque village of Güzelsu, is a striking structure with an outer and inner keep. The outer keep is enclosed by a series of walls, some of which still stand today, particularly along the east and north sides, where mud-brick defenses remain visible. The castle is also protected by the Güzelsu Creek, which runs along the western and southern boundaries. Though only three of the original forty bastions survive, the exact locations of the eastern and western gates remain a mystery. Today, the outer keep houses several dozen homes, including a converted mosque known as Kale Cami. To access the inner keep, visitors must navigate a winding road that leads to the main gate, which is situated on a majestic round tower. The gate’s walls are an impressive four meters thick, and its entrance tower features reliefs of two black basalt lions standing side by side. Beneath them, an inscription in muqarnas decoration details the fortress's construction in ancient Persia. If you have any questions or inquiries regarding Hosap Castle, please don't hesitate to contact us at [email protected] or simply message us via Whatsapp, and we will respond as soon as possible.