Emir Bayındır Bridge, a photo from Bitlis, East Anatolia

Photographer's Note

Between Tatvan and Adilcevaz on the north western shores of Lake Van is the small town of Ahlat. I did a daytrip there from Tatvan and found the Emir Bayindir Bridge and adjacent waterfall not far from the town. The waterfall can be seen as a workshop. But the main reason to come to Ahlat is to see the old mediaeval Selchuk tombs. From Rough Guides:

"Ahlat
The shabby town of AHLAT, which lies a picturesque drive 42km northeast of Tatvan along the north shore of Lake Van, is known chiefly for its medieval Muslim cemetery, holding hundreds of beautifully carved gravestones, and for its monumental tombs, known as türbe in Turkish.

The cemetery and tombs are by far the most substantial remains of a settlement that can boast a very long history. The Urartians are known to have been here in the first millennium BC, and were followed in turn by the Armenians. Ahlat fell to the Arabs during the seventh century, was retaken by the Byzantines two hundred years later, and subsequently passed to the victorious Selçuks after the nearby Battle of Manzikert in 1071. The Mongols, who arrived in 1244, were succeeded by the İlhanids a century later; by the fifteenth century Ahlat had become the main base of the Akkoyunlu Turcomans. Even after the local Ottoman conquest of 1548, real power in this remote region remained in the hands of the Kurdish emirs of Bitlis. Ahlat continued to be a populous, polyglot city until World War I.

Old Ahlat is a sprawling site, centred on a small museum, with the most visited of the monumental tombs, the Ulu Kümbet, some 300m south. The Meydan cemetery, peppered with intricately carved tombstones, is immediately north of the museum, while the Bayındır tomb lies 600m north of the museum across the cemetery. The city ruins nestle in a valley around 400m west of the Bayındır tomb." You can see some of the ruins in the bg here adjacent to the cave.

holmertz, ikeharel, pierrefonds, jhm, COSTANTINO, pajaran, Fis2, PaulVDV, clic has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

holmertz (94610) 2021-03-26 1:54

Hello Chris,
I only passed through Tatvan with no time for any detour, and I hadn't even heard of Ahlat. But I know enough about this area to fully believe it to be a "shabby town". But obviously this was a place worth a visit. Both photos are well composed, but I have a slight preference for the WS, where we see not just the bridge but also the pretty waterfall, some people on the bridge and, I believe, a shepherd with his flock.
Regards,
Gert

pierrefonds (105475) 2021-03-26 4:39

Bonjour Chris,

La longueur du pont crée de la profondeur. La prise de vue permet de voir les détails du pont. La lumière rehausse les couleurs de l'image. Bonne journée.

Pierre

Silvio1953 (208473) 2021-03-26 4:46

Ciao Chris, I never see a staircase on bridge, really original, great perspective, fine details, wonderful colors, splendid light and excellent clarity, very well done, my friend, have a good Week end, ciao Silvio

jhm (205129) 2021-03-26 11:33

Hello Chris,

You chose a nice angle with the wide stairway in foreground, together the arch of the bridge about the river.
Splendid colour and lovely sharpness.
An excellent composition, nice presentation too.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice day,
John.

lousat (131363) 2021-03-26 14:02

Hi Chris,surely a very interesting place to visit with a lot of things to watch from the past as i can read in your note. Magnificent bridge made in a very unique style,i like this imposing perspective and the different view in the WS. Have a nice weekend and thanks,Luciano

COSTANTINO (105977) 2021-03-26 23:43

Hello dear Chris and have a nice day
steps and steps drawing our eyes away,,
thanks for your useful notes
in order to undertand better
what we can see here...
regards
costantino

pajaran (104821) 2021-03-27 0:10

Pozdrav.
Lep pogled, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Lep most i priroda, dobro pokazano sa lepim bojama, kontrastom i perspektivom.
Dobar rad sa lepom fotografijom u radionici.
Lepe fotografije, stara arehiotektura i lepa priroda.
Zelim vam lep dan, sve najbolje.
Paja

Fis2 (158103) 2021-03-27 0:42

Witaj Chris!
A very interesting place.
Wonderful stone bridge, I love it.
Good POV, colors and light.
Well done.
Have a nice weekend.
Krzysztof

PaulVDV (56319) 2021-03-27 3:34

Hello Chris,
I was in the east of Turkey in 1984 but I don't think I had heard of Ahlat in that time.
You present us a very attractive picture of the stairs leading to the tombs with the bridge on the right side and a clear view through its arch.
Beautiful are the few plants growing on the bridge and emerging from the shade.
Good composition, sharpness and clarity.
Best regards, Paul

Royaldevon (78216) 2021-03-27 4:54

Hello Chris,

This is a fine photograph, not just from the excellent exposure but also, from the chosen viewpoint. The steps, which lead us upwards, are very surprising when they suddenly curve and take us to the right, to a strong vanishing point!

My warm regards,
Bev :-)

abmdsudi (90101) 2021-03-27 19:59

Hi Chris
Nice compo and viewpoint where the stairs lead the eye all the way up to main focal of interest. Great light, colour and contrast. well done
Best regards

clic (24152) 2021-03-29 12:51

Hello Chris
On top of being a good photographer you are a talented historian, if I go by what I read in your notes!
This sumptuous arch bridge leads attention towards the partially-hidden architectural treasures of the right bank, prompting to historical discoveries.
Admirable visual balance provided by so much greenery over the water stream.
Cheers

mkamionka (63422) 2021-04-01 23:29

Hi Chris,
TrekEarth should be at the peak of popularity these days when people cannot travel in real life but somehow it is the opposite. I am glad you are still there with your highest quality photos of amazing destinations and many off the beaten track locations.
This is a great angle on this bridge which interestingly shows both the entrance to it and the view from a side.
Fantastic well saturated colors,
M

jmdias (105028) 2021-04-04 9:21

chris

surprising these stairs mixed with a bridge. looks surreal to see this creek in this place. it gives us an illusion we would have more lower places at your back. nice view.

take care

jorge