Nemrut (volcano)
Encyclopedia
Nemrut is a dormant volcano
in Eastern Turkey
, close to Lake Van
, at 38°37′10"N 42°14′28"E.
The volcano is named after King Nimrod
who is said to have ruled this area in about 2100 BC.
, a small town in the eastern Anatolia
n province of Bitlis
. The mountain rises from the southwestern shore of Lake Van
, and enters the district of Ahlat
to the north.
It is 3050 m (10,007 ft) high and its elliptic caldera
has a diameter of about 7 by. The western part of the caldera contains a large coldwater crater lake
about 155 m (509 ft) deep. There is also a small warm lake whose temperature reaches 60 °C (140 °F), providing evidence of continuing volcanic activity.
. It is a stratovolcano
, and began erupting during the Quaternary
and continued to be active until 1597 A.D. As a result of the volcanic eruptions of Mt. Nemrut, the single Van
— Mus
river basin was divided into two separate basins. The eruption of Nemrut volcano also led the formation of Lake Van, the largest lake in Turkey.
lies to the southeast of Mt. Nemrut and is a good starting point from which to climb the volcano. One can reach the south-eastern edge of the crater after four to five hours' easy hike from Tatvan. This vantage point gives good views over the crater and lake, and also views over Lake Van. The mountain has oak
and birch
trees on the southern slopes, but is otherwise bare.
June to September is the best time to climb the mountain. As an alternative to walking, it is possible to reach the summit by four-wheel drive vehicle from Ahlat
or Tatvan.
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
in Eastern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, close to Lake Van
Lake Van
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country in Van district. It is a saline and soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. Lake Van is one of the world's largest endorheic lakes . The original outlet from...
, at 38°37′10"N 42°14′28"E.
The volcano is named after King Nimrod
Nimrod (king)
Nimrod is, according to the Book of Genesis and Books of Chronicles, the son of Cush and great-grandson of Noah and the king of Shinar. He is depicted in the Tanakh as a man of power in the earth, and a mighty hunter. Extra-Biblical traditions associating him with the Tower of Babel led to his...
who is said to have ruled this area in about 2100 BC.
Description
Mt. Nemrut is near TatvanTatvan
Tatvan is a city at the western end of Lake Van, and is the regional center of the identically-named district within Bitlis Province in eastern Turkey. It has about 96,000 inhabitants. The mayor is Abdullah Ok .- Transport :...
, a small town in the eastern Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
n province of Bitlis
Bitlis Province
Bitlis Province is a province of eastern Turkey, located to the west of Lake Van.-History:Bitlis was formed as an administrative district in the 17th Century...
. The mountain rises from the southwestern shore of Lake Van
Lake Van
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country in Van district. It is a saline and soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. Lake Van is one of the world's largest endorheic lakes . The original outlet from...
, and enters the district of Ahlat
Ahlat
Ahlat is a historic town and a district in Turkey's Bitlis Province in Eastern Anatolia Region. The center town of Ahlat is situated on the northwestern coast of the Lake Van. She was the district in Van Province between 1929-1936...
to the north.
It is 3050 m (10,007 ft) high and its elliptic caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
has a diameter of about 7 by. The western part of the caldera contains a large coldwater crater lake
Crater lake
A crater lake is a lake that forms in a volcanic crater or caldera, such as a maar; less commonly and with lower association to the term a lake may form in an impact crater caused by a meteorite. Sometimes lakes which form inside calderas are called caldera lakes, but often this distinction is not...
about 155 m (509 ft) deep. There is also a small warm lake whose temperature reaches 60 °C (140 °F), providing evidence of continuing volcanic activity.
Geological history and eruptions
Mt. Nemrut is the most southern and youngest of the chain of volcanoes in eastern AnatoliaAnatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
. It is a stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...
, and began erupting during the Quaternary
Quaternary
The Quaternary Period is the most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the ICS. It follows the Neogene Period, spanning 2.588 ± 0.005 million years ago to the present...
and continued to be active until 1597 A.D. As a result of the volcanic eruptions of Mt. Nemrut, the single Van
Van Province
Van Province is a province in eastern Turkey, between Lake Van and the Iranian border. It is 19,069 km2 in area and had a population of 1,035,418 at the end of 2010....
— Mus
Mus Province
Muş Province is a province in eastern Turkey. It is 8,196 km² in area, and has a population of 406,886 . The population was 453,654 in 2000. The provincial capital is the city of Muş...
river basin was divided into two separate basins. The eruption of Nemrut volcano also led the formation of Lake Van, the largest lake in Turkey.
Visiting and climbing Mt. Nemrut
The city of TatvanTatvan
Tatvan is a city at the western end of Lake Van, and is the regional center of the identically-named district within Bitlis Province in eastern Turkey. It has about 96,000 inhabitants. The mayor is Abdullah Ok .- Transport :...
lies to the southeast of Mt. Nemrut and is a good starting point from which to climb the volcano. One can reach the south-eastern edge of the crater after four to five hours' easy hike from Tatvan. This vantage point gives good views over the crater and lake, and also views over Lake Van. The mountain has oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
and birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
trees on the southern slopes, but is otherwise bare.
June to September is the best time to climb the mountain. As an alternative to walking, it is possible to reach the summit by four-wheel drive vehicle from Ahlat
Ahlat
Ahlat is a historic town and a district in Turkey's Bitlis Province in Eastern Anatolia Region. The center town of Ahlat is situated on the northwestern coast of the Lake Van. She was the district in Van Province between 1929-1936...
or Tatvan.