Bitlis, a city in the eastern part of Turkey, lies to the southwest of Lake Van. Its name comes from commander Bedlis who was the builder of Alexander the Great’s castle in the city. Bitlis is also called “the beautiful city in the valley” since it is located in a valley along with many other historical places. Bitlis was the residence of the people of Urartu around B.C 400. It was conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC. It remained as a land of the Byzantine Empire until the 7th century. Bitlis became an important base for Turks when they began their expedition towards the interior of Anatolia. Alparslan (a Seljuk commander) with his army stayed in Bitlis and Bitlis then played a very important role in the Turks’ conquest of Anatolia. In 1514, Bitlis was conquered by the Ottoman Empire at the battle of Çaldıran. At the time of the First World War, it was temporarily invaded by the Russian Army. After the Turkish Republic was founded, it was made a city.
 
     There are plenty of castles, bridges, medreses (universities), mosques and caravanserais in Bitlis Region, because of the presence of many different civilisations. Therefore, it is possible to experience both modern times and history in Bitlis Region. Such towns as Tatvan, Ahlat and Adilcevaz combine their historical interest with the natural beauty of Lake Van. For example in Ahlat, which stayed under the authority of a Seljuk Government, there are kümbets (large tombs with dome-shaped or conical roofs) which are world famous. In Adilcevaz there are some works of art from Urartus, especially Castle Kef, which enhance the beauty of the town.
 
THE NOMANDS:
     When you go to the high plateaus of Bitlis Region in the hot days of summer, you can see the nomads who lead a very intriguing lifestyle in their black woollen tents. They are  witnesses to a past age who try to survive unchanged despite all the changes in the world. They try to be loyal to their traditions and customs, which have existed ever since the early times of humanity.
 
THE GRAVES OF AHLAT:
     The graves, tombs and the cemetery of Ahlat are interesting in that they show the very early traditions of burial of corpses. This cemetery is not the only biggest cemetery in Turkey but also it is the biggest cemetery in the whole Muslim world.
 
THE KÜMBET of AHLAT - EMİR BAYINDIR:
     Ahlat, which stayed under the sovereignty of a Seljuk Government, is like an outdoor museum since it has lots of works of art from this period. Especially, the mausoleums called “kümbets” are scattered throughout the town. The kümbets are the most outstanding examples of Seljuk architecture.
 
LAKE NEMRUT CRATER:
Lake Nemrut, which is a crater lake, is a wonder of world. It has two lakes, one big and one small. 68 different volcanic outlets have been discovered in the mountain. Nemrut, which is the biggest crater lake of Turkey, awaits visitors at 3500m above sea level with its magnificent views, volcanic structure, steam treatments and its legends.
 
THE FOLKLORE:
     Bitlis has a very rich fund of folklore and folk dancing is an important part of life.
 
BİTLİS CASTLE:
     This was built in the 4th century BC by Bedlis, a commander of Alexander the Great. It is located on a block of rocks above the confluence of two streams. Its perimeter is 2800m long, with a height of 25-30m, with walls 4-6m thick.
 
İHLASİYE MEDRESE:
     This was built in 1216 by the Seljuk Government and it was restored by Şerefhan V in 1589. It was made into the biggest structure in Bitlis and also it is the most striking buildings because of its outstanding architecture. It was a university in those days.
 
KÜLLİYE, ŞEREFİYE:
 *(Külliye is a complex of buildings adjacent to a mosque)
 
     This was built by Şerefhan IV in 1528. It contains a mosque, a medrese, and a tomb. It is particularly attractive because of the ornaments on the doors.
 
THE RICHNESS of BİTLİS for TOURISTS:
     Bitlis is a world of wonders with its clean weather, enchanting natural beauty and historic structures. It has enormous tourism potential with its untouched wonders, such as Lake Nemrut Crater, the coasts of Lake Van and Mount Süphan. At the same time it has a very rich history. It is like an outdoor museum which has traces of Urartus, the Byzantine Empire, the Seljuks and the Ottoman Empire. History and nature combine richly in Bitlis so that all types of tourist activities are possible here.