The Toros (Taurus) Mountains paralleling Turkey’s southern border, and the Black Sea Mountains in the north meet to form a mighty range which defines the country’s eastern border.
The tremendous diversity of the eastern and southeastern lands surprises travellers: the red ochre plateau of Erzurum; the forests, waterfalls, and green pastures of Kars and Ağrı; the permanent snow-cap on biblical Mount Ağrı (Ararat); and the immense Lake Van with its deep blue waters.Dwellings and ways of life also vary greatly in this large region.For example, small, earth-roofed houses, built close to the ground typify Kars.Despite a generally austere life, the people of Kars are generous and hospitable.
The region’s long and turbulent history has left monuments to its various civilizations: Byzantine monasteries and churches, Seljuk mausoleums and caravanserais, and elegant Ottoman mosques and hilltop citadels.To the inveterate traveller and lover of adventure, this region of Turkey fascinates, astonishes and informs.
FROM ERZİNCAN TO DOĞUBAYAZIT
The great trans-Anatolian axis road is the most direct route between Ankara and the Iranian border, and passes through Sivas,Erzincan, Erzurum, Ağrı and Doğubayazıt.
Erzincan, the
principal city of its province, lies 688 km east of Ankara on a fertile plain.The
highly-decorated and hand-fashioned copperware of Erzincan maintains a long
tradition in the area’s fame for metalwork.Akbulut
Ski Center, 40 km to the west, providesfacilities for winter sports
enthusiasts.Dumanlı Plateau in Refahiye County
is a relaxing location among pine trees.The elevations of the ski center and
plateau are both 2000 m.Erzincan has two sports clubs that play
Cirit, a javelin game of daredevil
horsemanship in which wooden javelins are thrown at horsemen of opposing teams
to gain points.The game is played mainly in Eastern Turkey.
Many of the magnificent bronze objects in the Museum of
Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara were found at the nearby Urartian site of
Altıntepe, east of Erzincan.The items date
from 900-
600 B.C.At Tercan, the round 15th-century
mausoleum of Mama Hatun with its beautifully carved stone portal is worth a
detour off main road.The waterfalls at Girvelik,
29 km southeast of Erzincan, provide ideal picnic spots where you can eat a
packed lunch and relax to the sound of water tumbling over rocks.Southwest of
Erzincan is the beautiful green town of Kemaliye
on the Fırat (Euphrates ) River.The
hospitality of the locals and the architecture of the town are worth a visit.The
best place for rafting and canoeing is at nearby
Karanlık Boğaz.You will also want to go on a photo safari to take in the
natural beauty of the area.
Erzurum, 193 km east of Erzincan and the largest city in eastern Anatolia, sprawls on the high plateau at an altitude of 1,950 meters.As you enter the city, the large Aziziye monument commemorating the Turkish-Russian war will catch your eye.
Although the collection in the archeological museum
reveals much of the city’s history and ancient origins, it is Erzurum’s
architecture which is in fact the best Picture of its past.The city walls and
fortress are reminiscent of the period of Byzantine rule.The 5th-century citadel
built by Emperor Theodosius stands on a hill at an altitude of 2000 meters.Of
particular importance at-re the remaining Seljuk buildings-brillant examples of
a fascinating aesthetic.The Ulu Cami (Grand Mosque) was built in 1179 by Melik
Nasreddin Mehmet (Mehmet the Red Lion).It has an unusual form with sevenwide
naves.The Çifte Minareli, Medrese,or theologial college,built by the Seljuk
Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat in 1253,astonishes visitors
with elaborate stone
carvings on its portal and its masejtic double minarets.Behind the Çifte
Minareli Medrese stands the Üç Kümbetler,a group of there tombs,the most notable
of which is that of Emir Saltuk.The 13th-century Hatuniye Türbesi,or mausoleum,was
built for Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat’s daughter.The beautiful portal and
richlytiled minaret of the 13th-century Yakutiye Medrese reveal another facet of
Seljuk architecture.You can also see Ottoman buildings in Erzurum.The great
architect Sinan left his mark on the city in Lala Mustafa Paşa Mosque.The
Atatürk house and museum where Atatürk stayed and held a congress are near the
mosque.
While wandering around the city,notice the local black stone(Erzurum Oltu Taşı) which is used in jewelry.The shops on the upper flor of the Taşhan(Rüstem Paşa Caravanserai) offer the best selection.
A road through splendid mountain scenery leads to the
winter sports resort of Palandöken,only 6 km from Erzurum.This center has a number of
hotels as well as the longest ski run and the best snow quality in Turkey,making
it a favorite haunt of expert skiers.The glassy
Tortum Lake,120 km from Erzurum in the direction of Artvin and the Black
Sea,may be the most tranquil sight in all of Turkey.Be sure to see the
Tortum Waterfalls at the north end of the
lake,that plunge from a height of 47 meters.(After the rushing torrents of the
April-to-June snow-melt clears the falls,the flow of water slows considerably.)
The Haho Church in Bağbaşı Village in Tortum County was built by the Georgian King David the Great during the years 961-1001.It was originally built as a monastery.The church section is now used as the village mosque while preserving the original architecture.It is 85 km from Erzurum on the Ezurum-Artvin highway,8 km from the whitewashed bridge.The mansion in Çamlıyamaç Village in Uzundere County,7 km off the Erzurum-Artvin highway was also built by David the Great near the end of the 10th century.It reflects the golden age of Georgian architecture.
Kars (212 km northeast
of Erzurum) stands at an altitude of 1,750 meters and has played an important
role in Turkish history.It was at the center of the Turko-Russian War.The
Russian legacy stil be seen much of the town’s architecture.The lower city
unfolds at the foot of an impressive Seljuk fortress from the 12th century.Nearby,the
Havariler Museum(the 10th-century Church of the Apostles)reveals a curious
mixture of architectural influences.Bas-reliefs representing the twelve apostles
in tather stiff and primitive poses,ring the exterior drum of the dome.The
Archeological Museum houses beautiful wood carvings,an excellent collection of
coins found in the surrounding region,as well as many etnographic items relating
to eastern Turkey.Kars is particulary known for ist distinctive kilims and
carpets,and it retains a strong herigate of fol
k dancing.Visitors always seem to
enjoy this traditonal entertainment.On the mountain pastures,villagers produce
excellent Kaşar cheese delicious honey.
About 42 kilometers east of the city ancient Silk Road,the medieval city of Ani (Ocaklı)lies mostly in ruins.Impressive fortified walls stil encircle the ruins of numeros churches mosques and caravanserais.The extent to which the large churches are stil standing after a thousand years will amaze you. Sarıkamış (53 km southwest of Kars) is a ski center with resort hotels set in a scenic pine forest.
The Kür R
iver divides
Ardahan (83 km from Kars) and separates the
ancient part on one side from the new city on the other.A 16th-century castle
build by Sultan Selim the Grim,one of the stately citadels in Turkey with 14
towers and a span of 745 meters,stands in the old part of the city.To the north
of Ardahan via Posof lies the
Türkgözü border gate which is now open for
travel to the Republic of Georgia.
Çıldır takes its name from the nearby lake which lies at an altitude of 1,965 meters.The scenic area around the lake provides a habitat for a fascinating variety of birds.In the lake,the man made Akçakale Island was reputedly constructed with the labor of thousands;a temple with Urartian inscriptions remains.Şeytan (Devil’s) Castle is near Çıldır.
Ağrı, a provincial
capital on a 1,650 meter-high plateau,takes its name from the mountain which
looms over it.Ağrı is 183 km east of Erzurum.The Pleasant
Balık Gölü (Fish Lake) to the northeast,not
surprisingly has plenty of fish restaurants serving local delicacies. Thermal
springs buble up all over the area.For those who want hardy outdoor events, a
visit to the Bubi Dağı Ski Center,20
km southwest of Ağrı,will provide a few snow sports.
Do not miss the spectacular
İshak Paşa Place, 8 km from Doğubayazıt,95
km east of Ağrı,Ihsak Paşa,Ottoman governor of the province,and Çolak Abdi Paşa
constructed the palace between 1685 and 1784 with a mixture of Ottoman,Persian,and
Seljuk architectural styles.The palace contains 366 rooms,a mosque,a courtroom,a
kitchen,a bakery,and barns and baths.Nearby you can see a bas-relief of an
Urartian king,and a rock tomb from the ninth century B.C.
Near Doğubayazıt,Turkey’s most scenic natural monument,Ağrı
Dağı (Mt.A
rarat) ries to a heigt of 5,165 meters.Some scentists who have
explored the mountain believe Noah’s ark is burried under snow and ice high on
the mountain.
Lesser Ararat is 3925 meters high.Üzengili village, 25 km east of Doğubayazıt is a great place to try the local dessert,aşure (Noah’s Puding),believed to have first been made by Noah’s wife from the last bits of food in the ark.
There is a meteorite crater 35 m wide and 60 m deep which was created in the early 1900’s between Sarıçevuş Village and the Turkish-Iranian border gate of Gürbulak.
FROM MALATYA TO HAKKARİ
The most direct route to this region is the Central
Anatolian Highway that passes through
Kayseri,Malatya,Elazığ,Bingöl,Muş,Van and on to Iran,via
Hakkari Malatya (670 km east of Ankara) is a
busy city situated on a fertile plain at the foot of the
Anti-Taurus Mountains.The archeology museum
houses new finds from the Lower Fırat(Euphtates)region that date from the
Neolithic and Chalcolithic ages.Next to the city museum,you can shop in a bazaar
where an entire passageway of shops is devoted to copperware.In Malatya,the
apri
cot growing center of Turkey,it is possible to sample many delicious apricot
confections as well as other fresh and dried fruit.The two small towns which pre-date
the establishment of present-day Malatya are easy expeditions.Aslantepe,7
km away,was the capital of a Hittite state in the first millennium B.C. and
Battalgazi,9 km away,was once the ancient city
of Melitene. At the latter stand the ruins of
a Byzantine enclosure,and in the center of townithe 13th-century Ulu Mosque is
an excellent example of Seljuk architecture.
Elazığ,founded in the
19th century,lies on a plain the shadow of a mountain crowned with the ancient
citadel of Harput.Harput was an important
educational and cultural center.Destrucition wrought by several earthquakes and
the relatively recent contsruction of Elazığ has led to most of the population
of Harput deserting it for the modern city.Several Seljuk mosques remain,however,which
are worth visiting.The Keban and
Karakaya Dams on the Fırat (Euphrates)River
have created huge artificial lakes,dramatically altering the surrounding
environment.Twenty-five kilometers south of Elazığ,the lovely and tranquil
Hazar Lake invites relaxation.The beaches and touristic facilities are open during the summer months.Nine beaches on the shores of Lake Hazar have received the blue flag rating.Mount Hazar Baba is a beautiful place for a hike,and will soon be open for skiing as well.
High mountains encircle
Tunceli,133 km north of Elazığ on the Elazığ-Erzurum road.On the way,stop
off to see the fortress of Pertek,built in the
Middle Ages and still in good condition today.In the
Munzur Valley National Park near Ovacık,60
km northwest of Tunceli,you can fish in rushing,trout-filled streams while
enjoying the amazing scenery.
The name of Bingöl means “ a thousand lakes.” It was given because of the many glacier lakes in the surrounding mountains.In the city stand the remains of a medieval fortress.
Bingöl-Yolçatı (Kurucadağ)
Ski Center is 20 km to the west.At various times in history,Bingöl has
been controlled by
Seljuks,Mongolians,Akkoyuns,Persians and Ottomans.
Muş (115 km east of Bingöl) was founded in the sixth century.The Ulu Cami(Grand Mosque)is an Ottoman work from the second half of the 14th century.The Historical Murat Bridge,10 km from Muş on the Muş-Varto road,is a Seljuk bridge with 12 arches.The 17th and 18th century mosques of Hacı Şeref and Alaaddin Bey are certainly worth a visit.
Korkuteli is famous for its kilim weaving and Siirt blankets; it is definitely worth seeing.Varto County contains an old.Urartian site in Kayalı Dere Village.Lake Hamurpet,20 km from Varto,is a good place to fish for trout or hund ducks and geese.Malazgirt County was the location where the Seljuks defeated the Byzantines in 1071.Todayithere are four intersting castles,bridges,and tumuli worth seeing.Bulanık County contains the Mollakent Mosque and Theological School,both built of Ahlat stone by Şeyh İbrahim in 1290 and 1321 respectively.Lake Kazan is a good spot for fishing and ficnics.
The lively city of Bitlis
(85 km east of Muş),an important center of tobacco production,stands in
the middle of a green oasis.The city’s architecture uses the local dark stone,and
the stone monuments include the Şerefhan Medrese,the 12th-century Ulu Mosque,the
Seljuk Gökmeydanı Mosque and the Ottoman Şerefiye Mosque.Bitlis
Sapgör Ski Center is close to the town’s center.From
Tatvan on the western shore of Lake Van (25 km
northeast of Bitlis),you can take a passenger and train ferry across the water
to Van.Nemrut Dağı (Mount Nemrut,not to be
confused with Nemrut Dağı National Park in the province of Adıyaman) makes a
challenging climb.In its center a deep crater lake bubbles with volcanic hot
springs.
The ruins of Ahlat
are 44 km north of Tatvan on the western shore of Lake Van.The ruins of this
once –important city of Turkish art and culture are scattered today among more
recent constructions.In the 12th century this city was the capital of the
Turkish state that ruled the Van Basin.Several mausoleums, notably the Ulu
Kümbet, the Bayındır Kümbet, the Hasan Paşa Kümbet and the Çifte Kümbet offer a
comprehensive overview of Seljuk funerary architecture and decoration.In the
Seljuk cemetery are beautifully inscribed memorial tombstones from the 12th
centur
y.The Turkish Art Museum houses a collection of ceramics, ancient coins
and jewelry.Modern Ahlat provides lake side tourist accommodation, beach
facilities and restaurants.
As you drive on around the lake you come to Adilcevaz, where the Ulu Mosque, built of the region’s dark volcanic stone, stands on the lake shore.Ten kilometers west of Adilcevaz is Kef Castle, and the nearby Urartian temple of Haldi dates from the ninth century B.C. Artifacts from this site can be seen in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in the Ankara. The Adilcevaz High School yard displays some of the column bases.
Van (170 km east of
Bitlis), the ancient Urartian capital of Tuşpa,
tempts visitors with its location on the eastern shore of the lake.This remote
but important city is set in a verdant oasis at the foot of a rocky peak.An
imposing 9th-century B.C.citadel overlooks the new
and the old parts of town.Steps
carved in the rock lead to the Urartian fortress.Halfway up the steps,
inscriptions in cuneiform pay homage to Xerxes.within the fortress are several
Urartian royal rock tombs.In the old city, the Ulu Mosque, Hüsrev Paşa Mosque,
Kaya Çelebi Mosque and the İkiz Kümbet (Twin Mausoleums) reflect Seljuk and
Ottoman architectural styles. Van’s interesting Archeological Museum is in the
new city, inland from the uninhabited old district.Stillvery much part of a
traditional lifestyle, the women of Van produce beautiful kilims woven in blue,
red and white patterns.The exotic Van cat, a protected specie, has thick white
fur and one blue and one green eye.The philateclic sections of major Turkish
post offices have beautiful Van Cat stamps.
At Van İskelesi (Van Harbor), friendly tea gardens and restaurants invite you for a break. Edremit, a holiday resort center 14 km to the southwest, has good beaches, swimming and camping.In the same direction is Gevaş, where you can visit a Seljuk cemetery with numerous decorated headstones, and the lovely Halime Hatun Mausoleum.
Lake Van, the largest
lake in Turkey, is at an altitude of 1,720 meters, and is ringed by beautiful
mountains.Mount Süphan (4,058 meters) is on
the nothwest side, and the İhtiyar Şahap Mountains
are to the south.You can circle the lake, visiting several ancient Urartian
sites as well as other various peoples who inhabited the area.Some of the
islands in Lake Van have monasteries and churches built on them.No doubt the
remote location offered seclusion to the resident religious communities.Forty-one
kilometers southwest of Van,Akdamar Island (a
half-hour sail from shore) is the most important of these.On the island stads a
10th-century church whose stone walls are richly carved with Old Testament
scenes and figures. After sightseeing, swimmers and picnickers can enjoy
themselves around the island’s almond groves.If you have time, also visit
Çarpanak Island to enjoy its landspace and to
wander around the 12th-century church, which has now been converted into a
museum.
Çavuştepe, 35 km from
Van on the Hakkari road, is an important Urartian citadel.Excaveted in 1970, today you can see temples, a palace, a sacrificial altar and inscriptions.On
the pastoral, winding road to Hakkari, the Zernek Dam
Lake offers itself as a resting spot on the way to
Hoşap, 60 km from Van, where a 17th-century fairy tale castle rises above
a small hill.Although the interior is badly damaged,the exterior walls,crenellations
and turrest are well-preserved.
Among the interesting geographical features around Lake Van,the Muradiye Waterfalls, 88 km north Van,with a peaceful tea garden and restaurants,and Gahnispi-Beyaz Çeşme Falls,60 km south of Van,are worth visiting.
The road to remote Hakkari, 203 km southeast of Van,takes you through some of Turkey’s most magnificent scenery: the Cilo-Sat Mountains and the Zap Valley.A medieval fortress dominates the city, which is at an altitude of 1,748 meters.
