Island becomes peninsula as water ebbs in Lake Van

VAN

An 800-meter-long road connecting the famous Çarpanak Island and a peninsula has come to the surface as the water ebbed in Turkey’s largest Lake Van in the last two years.

“The Island of Çarpanak has turned into a peninsula,” İhlas News Agency reported on May 26.

According to the agency, the island was the endpoint of a peninsula for centuries.

But with the raising of the water levels in the lake between 1990 and 1995, the ancient 800-meter-long road submerged and the Çatanak Island was formed.

Calling the island a “natural wonder” and “tourism hub,” a professor from the Van Yüzüncü Yıl University highlighted that “Çatanak was a mysterious island.”

“The island has a connection with the mainland. The road shows that the island was once connected to the mainland,” Faruk Alaeddinoğlu told the agency.

“With the rise of the water level, a corridor of water separated the island from its peninsula.”

When asked about the reasons behind the water ebbing, the professor pointed out global warming and its effects, such as vaporization.

“Lake Van is an inland lake, and the water levels increase and decrease at times in all enclosed lakes,” he said.

Reminding of the old days of the island when it was a part of a peninsula at the beginning of the 1990s, Alaeddinoğlu noted, “In 2020 and 2021, the water ebbed, and the 800-long-road became visible.”

But, “unfortunately,” the water ebbing seems to continue in the coming years, too.

“People used to swim to the island from the mainland. There will come a time when they will walk to today’s Çarpanak Island,” he expressed.

However, according to the professor, whatever happens to the island, Çarpanak is “still a tourism hub to see.”

He recommended visiting the island, especially to nature lovers. “They should visit the island now and take the joy in it,” he added.

The island is now uninhabited but formerly contained an Armenian monastery called “Ktuts.” The ruins of the monastery can still be seen.

According to the tradition, the monastery was founded in the fourth century by St. Gregory the Illuminator after his return from Rome.

The first historical records referring to the monastery date back to the 15th century, when it was known for scriptorium. The monastery was destroyed by an earthquake in 1648, before being rebuilt in the 18th century.