Akdamar Island

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/akdamar-island

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Akdamar Island?Approximately 0.7 square kilometers
2. How high is Akdamar Island?80 meters above lake level (1,912 meters above sea level)
3. What is the location?Lake Van, Eastern Turkey
4. What is the age of holy cross cathedral?10th century (over 1,000 years old)
5. Where is Akdamar Island located?The island sits about 3 kilometers from the mainland in Lake Van, which is a big lake in eastern Turkey. It is the second largest of the four main islands in the lake.
6. Why is the Holy Cross Cathedral on Akdamar Island special?The Holy Cross Cathedral was built in the 10th century and was the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church for more than seven hundred years. Its carvings and history show how important the island was for Armenian culture.

Lake Van: A large, hypersaline lake in eastern Turkey, known for its unique geological features and islands.
Armenian Holy Cross Cathedral: A significant 10th-century Armenian church on Akdamar Island, recognized for its architecture and historical role.
Catholicosate: The ecclesiastical jurisdiction and office of a Catholicos, the supreme head of certain Eastern Orthodox churches, notably the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Limestone Cliff: A steep rock face formed from limestone, a common sedimentary rock, found on the western side of Akdamar Island.