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A cemetery in Van’s Gevas district has become an unusual spring attraction as reverse tulips bloom among gravestones in the Dilmetas neighborhood.
Known locally as “weeping bride,” the flowers have drawn photographers and nature lovers from surrounding areas. Their red, yellow and burgundy colors have turned the quiet cemetery into one of the region’s most striking seasonal scenes.
The reverse tulips have brought a steady flow of visitors to Dilmetas, where people walk among the graves to photograph the short-lived blooms.
The flowers are seen as part of the region’s natural identity and contribute to local promotion during the spring season.
Visitors said the view also offers a wider panorama over Lake Van and Akdamar Island.
The flower is known internationally as Crown Imperial or Fritillaria imperialis, while in Türkiye it is widely called “weeping bride.”
Its downward-facing shape and vivid colors give it a distinctive appearance during the brief spring blooming period. The species grows in mountainous areas of eastern Türkiye as temperatures rise.
In Dilmetas, the flowers stand beside old gravestones, creating a visual contrast between renewal and memory.
The cemetery setting has made the bloom especially attractive to photographers, who come to capture the tulips in an unusually quiet and historic landscape. The site has become one of Van’s seasonal points of interest.
Ferdi Kilic, who visited the area with friends by motorcycle, said he had seen the flowers online before but had not viewed them closely until now.
“It was really worth coming. We liked it very much,” he told Anadolu, adding that anyone living nearby who had not yet visited should see the area. He also noted that the flowers have a short life span.
The tulips appear in several colors, including red, yellow and burgundy, bringing strong visual variety to the cemetery.
Visitor Rabia Cok described the flower as “very beautiful and noble” with its yellow and red tones. She said the number of visitors was also a positive sign for Van.
Local security guards have been stationed in the cemetery to prevent damage to the reverse tulips. Authorities have taken protective measures because the flowers are legally protected and include endemic species found in Türkiye. Their popularity has increased the need to balance tourism with conservation.
Crown imperial flowers include around 170 species worldwide and grow across temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere.
Türkiye is home to 57 species, 34 of which are endemic, making the flower an important part of the country’s natural heritage.
In Van, the spring bloom has become both a visual spectacle and a reminder of the need to protect fragile seasonal landscapes.
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