ÇANKIRI
In
the third century B.C. the Galatian settlement in Cankiri was called Gangrea,
a name which evolved into Kangri. The ruins of an 11th century fortress
overlook the city. In town the Ulu Mosque, built by Turkey's greatest architect,
Sinan, in the 16th century, recalls the years of Ottoman culture. Tas Mescit,
a medieval hospital built in 1235, lies just outside the city. North of
Cankiri is the beautiful llgaz National Park and Ski Center. Kirikkale
is a rapidly expanding industrial center on the major highway that leads
east out of Ankara and to the Black Sea. The Kizilirmak River, known in
ancient times as Halys, passes by Kirikkale. You can spend a pleasant afternoon
relaxing in one of the good restaurants surrounded by the pastoral landscape.
After the highway divides, the eastern fork leads to Yozgat, 217 km from
Ankara. Founded in the 18th century by the Ottomans the city has two important
buildings from this period - the Capanoglu Mosque and the adjoining Suleyman
Bey Mosque. The 19th century Nizamoglu Mansion, an attractive example of
Turkish domestic architecture, now houses ethnographical exhibits. Camlik
National Park is a few kilometers south of the city.
BOGAZKALE
(HITTITE SITE)
All
the major early Hittite sites lie in the province of Corum in Bogazkale
National Park, between Yozgat and the city of Corum. Impressive double
walls, in which are set the Royal Gate, the Lion Gate and the Yer Kapi
(an underground tunnel), ring the Hittite city of Hattusas, known today
as Bogazkale. This city, the Hittite religious center, was known as the
City of Temples because over 70 temples stood there. The largest ruins
are those of the great temple of the storm god Tesup. The Acropolis contained
government buildings, the Imperial Palace and the archives of the Hittite
Empire. In 1180 B.C. the Phrygians devastated the city. After thorough
excavations at the site the city walls are now being extensively restored.
Yazilikaya, an open air rock pantheon dating from the 13th century B.C.,
contains fine reliefs of all the Hittite gods and goddesses.
ALACAHÖYÜK
Alacahöyük,
north of Bogazkale on the road to Corum, was the center of the flourishing
Hattian culture during the Bronze Age. The magnificent Hattian gold and
bronze objects in the Museum of Anatolian Civilization in Ankara were found
in the Royal Tombs of this period. All the standing remains at Alacahoyuk,
however, such as the Sphinx Gate, date from the Hittite period. Corum,
an important city on the road from central Anatolia to the Black Sea, is
known to grow the finest chickpeas in Turkey. Significant historical buildings
include the 13th century Ulu Mosque and the 19th century clock tower. The
small town of Merzifon, between Corum and Amasya, has several Ottoman monuments
including the Celebi Sultan Mehmet Medrese (theological college) and the
Kara Mustafa Pasa Mosque.
AMASYA
Set
in a narrow gorge of the Yesilirmak (Iris) River, Amasya dates from the
third century B.C. The ruins of the citadel - inside of which an Ottoman
Palace and a secret underground passageway remain - rise from the craggy
rock. Hewn into rock above the city impressive Roman rock tombs are lit
at night creating a spectacular image. The beauty of Amasya's natural surroundings
and its splendid architectural legacy have combined to endow the city with
the accolade of one of the most beautiful cities in Turkey. Among the sights
of interest to visitors the 13th century Seljuk Burmali Minare Mosque,
the Torumtay Tomb and Gok Medrese, the 14th century llhanid Hospital with
lovely reliefs around its portal, the 15th century Beyazit I Mosque complex
and the unusual octagonal Kapi Aga Medrese should not be missed. Traditional
wooden Turkish mansions, or konaks, on the north bank of the Yesilirmak
River in the Hatuniye quarter (Yali Boyu), have been restored to their
old splendor, and some of these have been turned into guest houses. The
restored 19th century Hazeranlar Konagi, one of the loveliest, now houses
an art gallery on the first floor and the Ethnographical Museum on the
second. The Archaeological Museum has an interesting collection of regional
artifacts including the mummies of the Mongol llhanid rulers of Amasya.
Cafes, restaurants, tea gardens and parks line the riverside and provide
tranquil spots from which to enjoy the city's romantic atmosphere. From
the top of Çakallar Hill you have a beautiful view of the city.
Just 50 km northeast of Amasya amid magnificent mountain scenery, Borabay
Lake is a popular place for a day trip.
TOKAT
Tokat,
also on the Yesilirmak river, has many Seljuk and Ottoman monuments which
lend a picturesque yet solemn aesthetic to the cityscape. Among the main
historical buildings are the ruins of a 28 towered castle, the 11 th century
Garipler Mosque and a Seljuk bridge. 
The
13th century Pervane Bey Darussifasi (Gok Medrese), one of Tokat's finest
buildings, is now the Archaeological Museum. A regional commercial center,
Tokat has retained many of its hans, or commercial warehouses, including
the Tashan, Suluhan, Yagcioglu Hani and Gazi Emir (Yazmacilar) Hani. A
walk down Sulu Sokak in the city center, a street lined with hans, mausoleums,
bazaars and baths, provides an excellent overview of Tokat's architecture.
In the Gazi Emir (Yazmacilar) Hani you can find many examples of the block
printed cloth - a 300-year-old tradition - for which Tokat is famous. A
tradition of carved and painted wood decoration and painted murals give
Tokat's konaks a particular elegance. The 19th century Madimagin Celalin
Konak and the Latifoglu Konak have been restored to their former splendor
and give a picture of wealthy life in rural Turkey 100 years ago. Sixty-nine
kilometers northeast of Tokat, Niksar, once a capital of the Danismend
Emirs, has a well preserved citadel and early Turkish monuments, including
the Coregi Buyuk Mosque which has a very fine 12th century carved stone
portal. It was in Zile, south of Amasya and west of Tokat that Julius Caesar,
after a particularly speedy battle, declared his famous "Veni, vidi, vici".
Beneath the citadel which guards the city stands the restored Ulu Mosque
of 1269.
SIVAS
Sivas,
an important commercial center stood, during the Middle Ages, at the junction
of the caravan routes to Persia and Baghdad. Between 11 42 and 11 71 it
was the capital of the Danigmend Emirs and a vitally important urban
center during Seljuk rule. The remaining architectural monuments reflect
Sivas's former prominent position. The Ulu Mosque dates from the Danismend
Emirate but the Seljuk buildings: the 13th century Izzeddin Keykavus Sifahanesi
- a hospital and a medical school the beautifully decorated Gök
Medrese, the twin minarets of the Cifte Minare Medrese as well as the Buruciye
Medrese all testify to the exciting aesthetic of the Seljuk period. In
1919, the decision to liberate Turkey from the occupying foreign powers
was made by the National Congress which had convened in Sivas. Today the
19th century building where the congress was held has been restored as
the Ataturk and Congress Museum, with a display about the War of Independence
as well as an ethnographical exhibit. In town there are excellent Sivas
carpets for sale; the city has long had a reputation for fine weaving.
Kangal, 68 km south of Sivas, is the home of Turkey's most famous breed
of dog - the Kangal. 
Used
as sheep dogs, these golden haired animals have also proven themselves
in police and security work. Twelve kilometers northeast of Kangal is the
famous spa, Balikli Kaplica, where scores of tiny fish swim in hot spring
waters and aid, it is said, in the cure of skin complaints. Once a Byzantine
outpost, Divrigi became the capital of the Turkish Mengucek Emirs in the
12th and 13th centuries. Although very much off the beaten track, visitors
come to Divrigi to see the Ulu Mosque and Medrese of 1229. Seljuk stonework
reached its most exuberant in the animal and vegetal carvings of the portals.
UNESCO declared this site one of the world's most important cultural heritages.
Founded in ancient times Kirsehir became, in the Middle Ages, the center
of the Ahi Brotherhood, a Moslem sect whose moral and social ideals played
an important role in the spiritual and political life of Anatolian towns.
Among Kirsehir's many fine Seljuk buildings are the Cacabey Mosque of 1272
(a former astrological observatory), the Alaeddin Mosque of 1230, and the
Ahi Evran Mosque beside which is the tomb of the founder of the Ahi sect.
Out of town, on the road toward Kayseri, is the attractive Asik Pasa Mausoleum
which was built during the period of Mongol rule, in 1333.
