Ishak Pasha Palace

The partly ruined Ishak Pasha Palace rises on a mountainside near Doğubayazıt. Built from red volcanic stone and decorated with carving, the vast complex combines Ottoman, Persian and Armenian styles. During almost a century of construction and its later history, it survived earthquakes, wars and changing uses, from administrative centre to military fort. Inside are hundreds of rooms, courtyards, a domed mosque and minaret, a harem, audience hall and bath with its own heating system. Winged dragons, lions and human figures appear on the façades, while the mausoleum is decorated with geometric and floral motifs. Partially restored with protective shelters and a new roof, the palace remains one of Turkey’s architectural treasures and preserves the atmosphere of past centuries.

Golden gates once stood at the palace entrance, but they were taken away by Russian forces and are now kept in the Hermitage Museum, a reminder of the palace’s former magnificence that survives far from the building itself.