In the district of Çaldıran in Van province, western Türkiye, a castle believed to date back to the Middle Ages and preserved among lava flows following an eruption of Mount Tendürek has been captured on film.
Muzaffer Salcıoğlu, a drone pilot and teacher in Van, discovered the mysterious castle nestled among extinct lava streams, about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) from Çaldıran town center. Interested in Van's history, Salcıoğlu researched the volcanic eruption of Mount Tendürek in 1855 and examined satellite images. Guided by locals in Soğuksu Mahallesi, the area most affected by the eruption, Salcıoğlu used a drone to explore the terrain and discovered a structure resembling a castle, locally referred to as "Arap Zengi Castle" or "Zeyn Castle," for the first time captured aerially by Salcıoğlu.
Speaking to an IHA correspondent, Muzaffer Salcıoğlu mentioned capturing footage of Van's history and natural landscapes. He stated that he also conducts research on Van's history, reading books about Van by Evliya Çelebi in his spare time. During his research, he came across the 1855 eruption of Mount Tendürek and became intrigued by the region. "I looked at satellite images of Mount Tendürek and researched villages that could have been most affected by the volcanic eruption. From satellite images, I noticed that lava had engulfed half of Soğuksu village in Çaldıran," he said.
After reviewing satellite images, Salcıoğlu visited Soğuksu Mahallesi in Çaldıran, where he gathered information from locals about the area: "They told me there were historical artifacts and house-like structures in the lava-covered area. This caught my interest. I went there and flew the drone. While examining the area, I noticed an elevation on the screen. Then, I directed the drone toward it and discovered a huge castle. I was very excited at that moment and my fingers started trembling. I couldn't capture the footage in one go because my hands were shaking. I extensively filmed the castle, which had a very pleasant appearance resembling a heart. I shared these images on my social media accounts on June 13. I didn't come across any information about the castle. I was the first to discover and publish it. It received an incredible amount of attention," he said.
Advocating for the castle nestled among extinct lava streams to be developed for tourism, Salcıoğlu suggested that the castle could also be utilized as a museum.
