Kalecik / Lezk'

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The village of Lezk (Aralez). Up to the Armenian genocide at the 5 kilometers north to the city of Van there was an Armenian village named Lezk' (now Turkish: Kalejik) which has 1.178 habitants living in 192 houses in it. The village has a church named after Holy Virgin (Armenian: Surb Mariam Astvatzatzin). To the north of the village there was a rocky mountain named Surb Amenap'rkich (for All Saviour in Armenian). At the top of the mountain were an ancient Armenian pagan temple, a stream with healing waters and a chapel nearby. The name of Lezk' comes from an ancient Armenian legend, according which the king Ara Geghetsik ( Handsome ) was brought dying of wounds to the top of the mountain, after the struggle against army of Assyrian queen Semiramis (Shamiram). The queen who was in love with Ara, ordered to some creatures named Aralez, to lick the injured body of died king Ara. After that king was back to life.