Saint Bartholomew Monastery is one of the great remote Armenian ruins of eastern Turkey, set near Albayrak in the mountains south-east of Van. The surviving stonework is damaged and roofless in places, but the setting and history give it a force that polished monuments often lack.
The monastery was traditionally associated with the apostle Bartholomew and was once an important pilgrimage site. Access can be sensitive and conditions change, so treat it as a serious excursion rather than a casual roadside church: ask locally in Van or Başkale before setting out.