ABSTRACT
In the early tenth century Gagik Artsruni, ruler of the southern Armenian kingdom of Vaspurakan, sought a fitting site upon which to construct a new royal city. Gagik chose a small island in Lake Van (now in eastern Turkey) which offered superior defensive capabilities, a reliable freshwa ter spring, and the beauty appropriate for a royal setting. The planning and building of The splendid, famous, and stupendous city of Aghtamar' are described in The History of the House of the Artsruni, a text commis sioned by Gagik to celebrate his reign and ancestry.*1 Gagik first secured the harbour and fortified the island with massive walls. He then directed the construction of princely residences, terraced gardens, and parks filled with trees and flowers. The centrepiece of the city was the royal palace, which 'appeared from all sides of the province as a great hill in the middle of the city'.2 The palace church, dedicated to the Holy Cross, faced the north façade of the palace.3
