Kyakhta (Mount Nemrut)

A pical ridge in Taurus mountain chain in ancient Komagene country. The sacred Mausoleum, built by the king Antiokos A Ervanduni (69-34 B.C), surrounded by huge monuments was found in 19th century on the mountain Nemrut.
The statues are approximately 8 meters tall and belong to the gods of Kommagene and Antiokos A. There is a huge monument of Zeus-Aramazd, surrounded by the monuments of Apollo-Mihr-Helios-Hermes and Artagnes-Herakles, and from the other side - the monuments of the duchess and the king Antiokos A . The king is sculptured with Armenian Tigranian crown. There are also inscriptions found which say that the king dynasty of Kommagene is coming from the Ervanduni dynasty and in 4-3 centuries Kommagene was a part of Armenia. These statues were once seated, with names of each god inscribed on them. The heads of the statues have at some stage been removed from their bodies, and they are now scattered throughout the site. The pattern of damage to the heads (notably to noses) suggests that they were deliberately damaged because of belief in iconoclasm. The statues have not been restored to their original positions. The site was excavated in 1881 by Charles Sester, a German engineer assessing transport routes for the Ottomans. Subsequent excavations have failed to reveal the tomb of Antiochus. This is nevertheless still believed to be the site of his burial.
In 1987, Mount Nemrut was made a World heritage site by UNESCO. Tourists mainly visit Nemrut during June through August. The nearby town of Adıyaman is a popular place for car and bus trips to the site, and one can also travel from there by helicopter.