Why visit Erciş
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 2 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Weather in Erciş
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Erciş
Erciş (pronounced [æɾˈdʒiʃ]; Kurdish: Erdiş; Armenian: Ականց, romanized: Akants, historically Արճեշ, Arčeš) is a municipality and district of Van Province, Turkey. Its area is 2,133 km2, and its population is 171,000 (2022). It is located at the northern end of Lake Van. Erciş is predominantly Kurdish.
From the Wikipedia article Erciş (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks2
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Where to stay2
History
During Classical Antiquity, the town was known as Arsissa, and Archesh (Arčeš) in Armenian and Arjish in Arabic. The Byzantines knew it as Arzes (Ἂρζες or Ἀρζές) and the 10th-century emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos wrote in his De administrando imperio (Chapter XLIV) that it was under the rule of the Kaysite emirate of Manzikert.
This small district served as the capital city of a number of ruling states. It was the main center of the province of Turuberan as part of the ancient Armenian Empire. The city changed hands on several occasions between the Arabs and the Byzantines, in the early Middle Ages. From the mid 1020s onwards Archesh was governed by the Byzantines. In 1054, it was captured and sacked by the Seljuk Turks commanded by Tuğrul after an eight-day siege. It was indefinitely conquered by the Turks following the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. It was fortified in the early 14th century by the Ilkhanid vizier Ali Shah. Archesh became part of the Qara Qoyunlu state and later became a part of the Ottoman Empire.
From the History section of Erciş on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship153
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Healthcare35
Map of Erciş
207 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Van Ferit Melen International Airport (VAN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 62 km away.
- Aşağıışıklı 3 km north, about 3 min by car
- Heybeli 29 km west, about 29 min by car
- Akçıra 30 km southwest, about 30 min by car
- Çukurbağ 31 km west, about 31 min by car
- Gümüşdüven 31 km west, about 31 min by car
- Zirekli 33 km west, about 33 min by car
- Van 59 km south, about 59 min by car
- Ağrı 81 km north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Ahlat 82 km west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Gevaş 85 km south, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Erciş, Van, Sabri76, Public domain
- Erciş çarşı in 2012 4705, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş çarşı in 2012 4695, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş çarşı in 2012 4694, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş building wood in 2012 4706, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş çarşı in 2012 4702, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş clock tower A in 2012 4700, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş clock tower A in 2012 4699, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş in 2012 4698, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş Kaymakamlığı in 2012 4776, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş in 2012 4710, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş çarşı in 2012 4719, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş Kaymakamlığı in 2012 4784, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş Kaymakamlığı in 2012 4777, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş Unidentified sculpture in 2012 4782, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş Courthouse in 2012 4783, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş clock tower C in 2012 4717, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş clock tower C in 2012 4718, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş in 2012 4737, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş Atatürk statue in 2012 4778, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş in 2012 4774, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş in 2012 4747, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş in 2012 4746, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş in 2012 4748, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş building wood in 2012 4722, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş in 2012 4752, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş çarşı in 2012 4723, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş çarşı in 2012 4724, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş earthquake traces in 2012 4727, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş clock tower B in 2012 4786, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş clock tower B in 2012 4788, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş clock tower B in 2012 4787, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş çarşı in 2012 4725, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş clock tower B in 2012 4790, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş earthquake traces in 2012 4753, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş earthquake traces in 2012 4756, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş earthquake traces in 2012 4758, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erciş earthquake traces in 2012 4759, Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ISS044-E-52992 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS044-E-55017 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Street-level photo, nesim, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built November 8, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.