The Isak Pasha Palace in Dogubeyazit, Turkey overlooks a deep  valley and the mighty Mount Ararat. The fortress goes back to the 17th-century and was constructed by Isak Pasha, then governor of the area.

A spectacular mixture of Seljuk, Ottoman, Persian, Georgian and Armenian architectural styles, the inside still boasts sculptured marble, limestone floors and the 2 doors were originally made of gold. Mosaics, the plundered library and the precious doors were taken to Leningrad during the Russian occupation at the turn of the century for their museum.  

Sandstone and ornate detail add to the intriguing palace-mosque structure built on a caravan route.