Çifte Kümbetler

Overview

The Çifte Kümbetler, the Double Tombs, are two tomb towers side by side in Ahlat, on the shore of Lake Van. Both date from the second half of the 13th century. Each tower holds two burials, and that is how the pair got its name. In Turkish, a kümbet is a tomb tower, and çifte means double.

Where the Çifte Kümbetler stand

The tombs rise in the town of Ahlat, in Bitlis province. Their quarter bears the name İki Kubbe, "Two Domes," after this pair. For the town's long history, its great Seljuk cemetery and its other tombs, start with our Ahlat page.

Quick facts

• Good for: Seljuk-era stone carving, inscriptions, a short stop in town
• Best combined with: the Seljuk cemetery of Ahlat, Lake Van

History of the Çifte Kümbetler

A father and a son

The larger, eastern tomb belongs to Bugatay Aka and Şirin Hatun. Its smaller neighbor, to the west, belongs to Hüseyin Timur and Esentekin Hatun. Hüseyin Timur was the son of Bugatay Aka, so the two towers stand for one family. Esentekin Hatun was the daughter of Hüsameddin Hüseyin Aka. Both men carried the title of emir.

Dates in the inscriptions

The inscriptions give the dates. Over the entrance of the smaller tomb, one records that Hüseyin Timur died in 1279. Then, on its east window, a second records the death of Esentekin Hatun in 1280. The eastern tomb was built for Bugatay Aka and Şirin Hatun, who died a year later, in 1281.

What to See at the Çifte Kümbetler

The tomb of Bugatay Aka

The eastern tower is the larger of the two. It rises in cut Ahlat stone over a square burial chamber. To reach the door, you climb a stepped stair on the east side to a pointed arch. Inside, the burial chamber has a pointed barrel vault. Narrow slits, shaped like chimneys, let air in along its edges.

Above the chamber, the tower rises in two stories as a cylinder. Outside, a conical cap crowns it, decorated with Bursa arches, a row of small looped arches. Inside, however, a dome closes the room.

The tomb of Hüseyin Timur

The western tower is smaller, but it follows the same idea. Its square base forms the burial chamber, and six steps lead down into it. The chamber has a mirror vault, and a large pointed niche opens in the middle of its south side. Three narrow slit windows light it. Above, the tower again rises in two stories under a conical cap.

Stone and inscriptions

Ahlat stone is volcanic. On tombs of this stone, carvers mostly cut the inscriptions in white stone. So look for the pale bands over the entrance and on the east window of the smaller tomb. As on other round tombs of Ahlat from this century, niches with fluted moldings divide the walls.

Visiting the Çifte Kümbetler

Getting to the tombs

The tombs stand in Ahlat, on the shore of Lake Van. On our day in Ahlat, your driver collects you in Van or in Tatvan. First, you walk through the Seljuk cemetery, and then you see the two tombs. Lunch follows by the lake. For the wider lake, see our Lake Van and Van guides. We plan your walk from the Seljuk cemetery to the two towers of the Çifte Kümbetler, with lunch by the lake after.

Before you go

The towers stand in the open in town, and they have no published opening hours or tickets. By contrast, the Seljuk cemetery keeps its own hours, and we arrange your entry there. The Ahlat Museum, in the same İki Kubbe quarter, has been closed to visitors since July 21, 2025, for landscaping works, until the works are completed. Bring a hat and comfortable shoes, because the cemetery is open ground. Late spring to early autumn is a good season for Ahlat. The carved stones of Ahlat show their detail in the low afternoon light.

Updated: October 26, 2026.

Seeing the Çifte Kümbetler with Us

Would you like to see the Double Tombs with a guide who reads the inscriptions for you? Our Ahlat tour takes you to the Seljuk cemetery and the Çifte Kümbetler in one day. For another day on the lake, see our Van and Akdamar tour. Ahlat and Akdamar make two days on Lake Van; send us the dates you have. For more on Seljuk building, read our article on The Anatolian Seljuks: Carved Portals, Caravanserais and Konya.