Akdamar Island

Akdamar Island (also known as Akhtamar, and Aght'amar; Turkish: Akdamar Adası; Armenian: Աղթամար, Armenian pronunciation: [ɑχtʰɑmɑr]) is the second by size of four islands in Lake Van in the south of Eastern Anatolia Region, Turkey, about 0.7 km2 in size, situated about 3 km from the shoreline. At the western end of the island a hard, grey, limestone cliff rises 80 m above the lake's level (1,912 m above sea level). The island declines to the east to a level site where a spring provides ample water. It is home to a tenth century Armenian Cathedral church, known as the Cathedral Church of the Holy Cross (915-921), and was the seat of an Armenian Catholicos from 1116 to 1895.