Cavustepe

Cavustepe Castle, also known as Haykaberd and/or Sardurihinilli, is a castle located in Van Province. It was built by Urartian king Sarduri II in the years 764–735 BC. The mutual idea is that the castle is the Sardurihurda, which was mentioned in the Sarduri II’s cuneiform inscriptions. According to the Armenian legends, the fortress was built by the legendary founder of the Armenian nation, Hayk, where he slew the invading Babylonian king Bel. Between 1961 and 1986, archaeological digs were conducted.