With the popularity of the Eastern Express in recent years, Kars, whose name we hear more often, has become a favorite of travelers.. It promises an unforgettable journey with its history, nature and unique experience opportunities.. Kars, which is especially popular in the winter months, is such a special destination that you can see the crystal snow seen only in the Alps in the world.. You can trace the history in Ani Ruins, ride a sleigh on the frozen Çıldır Lake, and experience the delicious Kars cuisine.. There are so many beautiful places on our Places to visit in Kars list that I will write them all in detail, but first, let me talk about some useful information when planning a trip to Kars.
KARS BEFORE GOING TO ‘A
HOW TO GET TO KARS ?
The most practical way to go to Kars is of course by air. The distance between Kars Harakani Airport and Kars city center is 6 km. Another and the most enjoyable transportation option is of course to arrive in Kars by experiencing an unforgettable 24-hour journey with the Eastern Express.. If you want to have detailed information about the Eastern Express, which starts from Ankara and takes you to Kars with magnificent views, I recommend you to read this article.
WHEN TO GO TO KARS ?
Kars is also very enjoyable in the spring, but most people prefer to go during the winter months.. I recommend you to go to the city, which is home to one of the most beautiful ski resorts in Turkey, namely Sarıkamış, in winter.. Of course, the frozen Lake Çıldır has a big share in this suggestion.
HOW MANY DAYS SHOULD YOU SPEND TO KARS ?
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If you are going to Kars to visit, that is, if skiing is not in your plans, you will easily see every place in the list of places to visit in Kars in 2-3 days.. You spend one day in the center of Kars, one day in the ruins of Ani, and another day in Lake Çıldır.. In fact, if you act fast, you can fit Ani and Çıldır on the same day and complete the route in 2 days.
WHAT TO EAT IN KARS?
Kars has a culinary culture that is too wide to fit in a short paragraph.. For this reason, a Kars eating & drinking notes article will definitely come.. If you want to talk about it briefly, Buju, Kars’ famous dishes that you should definitely taste when you go to Kars are as follows:
- Goose meat
- Gravier cheese, Kars cheddar
- Piti
- Hıngel
- Evelik soup
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WHERE TO STAY IN KARS ?
I stayed at a friend’s house during my trip to Kars.. That’s why I didn’t have a hotel experience in Kars.. But I can offer a few suggestions based on the information I have learned from people I know.. If you want a special accommodation experience, you can choose Cheltikov Hotel’, which is a historical building.. Located in the city center, Kar’s Hotel also has a service quality that satisfies its guests.. Those looking for affordable accommodation can stay at Kars Teacher’s House.
SHOULD I HIRE A CAR IN KARS?
Most of the places you should see in the center of Kars are close to each other.. Suitable for walking. You can also use city transportation vehicles.. However, places such as Ani Ruins and Çıldır Lake are quite far away.. Since there is no public transportation vehicle going to these places, you will have to choose the option of car rental or taxi.. Since Kars has hosted many travel lovers in recent years, it is a very popular option to take a taxi here and go to Ani and Çıldır for the day.. The taxi has a net daily fee. You can get on 5 people and split the fee.. While going to Kars with the Eastern Express, you can meet the people traveling on the train and talk to them about this issue.. It will not be difficult for you to get along with someone, as most people are of the same mind.. That’s exactly how I did it because.
PLACES TO VISIT IN KARS
I will divide the list of places to visit in Kars into 2 parts.. First, I will try to give detailed information about places to visit in Kars center and then places to visit around Kars.
Places to Visit in Kars Center
- Kars Castle
- Stone Bridge
- Church of the Apostles
- Ebul Hasan Harakani Tomb
- Kars Museum
- Namik Kemal House
- Baths
- Caucasian War History Museum
- Fethiye Mosque
Places to Visit around Kars
- Ani Ancient City
- Çıldır Lake
- Sarıkamış
- Kuyucuk Bird Sanctuary
PLACES TO VISIT IN KARS CENTER
KARS CASTLE
Kars Castle, Vizier by the order of the Saltuklu Bey of the Anatolian Seljuk State, Melik Izzeddin It was built by Firuz Akay in 1153 AD.. Ottoman Sultan 3 in 1579. It was repaired on a large scale by Lala Mustafa Pasha, who came to Kars on the orders of Murat.. There is a Janissary ward, an armory, a small mosque and a tomb of Celal Baba in the castle.. The castle has been registered as an archaeological site and is under protection.. click here for the location of Kars Castle, which you can visit for free, on the map.
STONE BRIDGE
The historical Stone Bridge in the center of our list of places to visit in Kars > we continue with. The bridge is built on the narrow strait separating Kaleiçi District and Sukapı Neighborhood on the part of Kars Stream flowing into Dere İçi Mahallesi, in 1579 AD by the Ottoman Sultan III.. It was built by Lala Mustafa Pasha by order of Murat.. The bridge, which was built with three vaulted arches, was completely made of smooth cut basalt stone.. Karahanoğlu Hacı Ebubekir rebuilt the bridge in 1725.. The location of the Stone Bridge, which is close to Kars Castle, is here.
CHURCH OF THE Apostles
Church of the Apostles one of the Armenian churches in the city. It was built by King Abbas between 932-937 AD during the Bagratli Kingdom period.. The church, which passed under Muslim rule in 1064, was converted into a mosque and renamed as Kümbet Mosque. When the region came under Russian rule, the mosque was converted into the Russian Orthodox Church, and when it came under Turkish rule again in 1918, it was turned into a mosque again.. click here for the location of the Church of the Apostles, which you must see in the center of Kars.
EBUL HASAN HARAKANI TOMB
Our next stop for places to visit in Kars center is Ebul Hasan Harakani Tomb . The tomb was built during the conquest of Kars by Alpaslan 31 years after the martyrdom of the saint in 1033.. Over the centuries, the mausoleum has undergone some changes and reached the present day.. There are 21 more tombs around the tomb of Abul Hasan Harakani.. One of these tombs belongs to Kars Governor Kethüda Mehmet Pasha in 1767.. Another tomb is to Hafız Kurban Efendi, the imam of the Evliya mosque at that time, who fought to protect the Turkish population of the city by educating the Turkish people against the Armenian and Russian oppression in the city during the 40-year Russian occupation of Kars after the 1877-78 Ottoman-Russian war, preventing them from emigrating from Kars. belonging. Location here.
KARS MUSEUM
Kars is an ancient settlement that has been inhabited for thousands of years as it has witnessed the transition of many civilizations.. The Museum Office was first established in the Provincial Mansion in 1959 to protect the movable and immovable cultural assets created by the ancient Ani Ruins on the Silk Road and the archaeological settlement in the region.. Afterwards, due to the proliferation of artifacts collected from the region, the Church of the Apostles, also known as the Kümbet Mosque, was converted into a museum and exhibited between 1964 and 1978.. The modern museum building, which was built in 1978, was opened in 1981.. At the Kars Museum you can see the archeology hall, the ethnography hall and the carriage of Kazım Karabekir Pasha. Kars Museum must be on your list of places to visit in Kars. You can access the location from here.
NAMIK KEMAL HOUSE
Namik Kemal Culture House is located in the center of Kars, on Kaleiçi Mahallesi, Erzurum Caddesi. It is the house where the poet of the country Namık Kemal spent his childhood between 1853-1854.. The house has been restored and now serves as an exhibition space and “Lovers’ House”.. Click here for the location of Kars Namık Kemal House.
BATHS
There are a few historical baths you can see in Kars.. Mazlumoğlu, Topçuoğlu and İlbeyioğlu baths 17. It was built in the Ottoman architectural technique at the beginning of the century..
CAUCASIAN FRONT WAR HISTORY MUSEUM
Kars was one of the places that impressed me the most among places to visit Caucasian War History Museum. It was the most elaborate, meaningful and emotional museum I have ever seen.. In the 19th century, the bastions, which had important functions in the defense of the city against the invasion of the Russian armies, were used for defensive purposes during the repelling of the Russian attack in 1828, the victory of Kars in 1855 and the Ottoman-Russian War of 1877-1878.. In 1828, the name of this bastion was mentioned in the literature as Bloody Bastion, since all the soldiers in the bastion were martyred during a night raid during the Russian attacks on Kars..
The Bloody Bastion building has now been converted into the War History Museum.. Some important events from 1828 to the proclamation of the Republic are exhibited in the 8 main halls of the museum.. In the room built in memory of 90,000 martyrs in Sarıkamış, 90 sandals are reflected in eternity with mirrors.. It is impossible not to be impressed with the ball sounds.. While reading the poems and letters written by the soldiers, I could not help the tears flowing from my eyes.. The entrance to the Caucasian War History Museum is free.. Click here for the location.
FETHIYE MOSQUE
Fethiye Mosque was built as a Baltic Architecture style church by the Russians in the late 19th century. built. The building was used as an indoor sports hall after the first years of the Republic.. It was later converted into a mosque in 1985.. I definitely recommend you to include it in the places to visit in Kars center.. Click here for Kars Fethiye Mosque location.
THATS TO VISIT AROUND KARS
ANI ANCIENT CITY
We turned the center of Kars upside down, we left no place untouched. Now it’s time for Places to visit around Kars. Of course, I start with the first place that comes to mind for all of us: With the Ancient City of Ani. Ani is located within the borders of Ocaklı Village, 42 kilometers from the city center.. Ani is very important due to its secure location on a high rock overlooking the Arpacay and Alacasu valleys.. It is the first accommodation center of the Silk Road in Anatolia and also a famous trade center.. The oldest history of Ani, which is a rich and cosmopolitan medieval city, BC.. It goes back to 5000 years.
I know that whatever I say about Ani will not be enough.. Such a history that there is too much information to fit here.. That’s why I wrote a separate post here.. If you want to have more detailed information, you can reach my article on Ani Ruins here.
Ani Ruins entrance fee is 15 TL for 2021. Museum card valid.
ÇILDIR LAKE
Çıldır Lake is a Kars classic. If you come to Kars and return without seeing Çıldır, something will be missing.. Especially if you are going during the winter months, Lake Çıldır takes on a unique beauty when it freezes.. You can take a sleigh ride on the frozen lake. Another great suggestion would be to break ice ice fishing with fishermen.. A very enjoyable experience. Well, of course, when all these activities make you hungry, you should eat the unique yellow carp from the lake at the restaurants by the lake.. My suggestion is Atalay’s Place Is Crazy. Fish and treats are very tasty, service quality is good. Prices are also quite affordable.
SARIKAMIŞ
Sarıkamış of course, the first thing that comes to mind when we say Sarıkamış Martyrs. In the Sarıkamış Operation, 1. During World War II, 23,000 Turkish soldiers lost their lives in the freezing weather conditions on the Caucasus Front between 22 December 1914 and 9 January 1915.. Of course, it is not possible to remember our martyrs..
When you come to Sarıkamış, there are Sarıkamış Culture House, Katerina Mansion and Sarıkamış Ski Center among the places you can visit in the region.. Since the ski resort has the best ski slopes in our country and its advanced facilities, it is the indispensable address of most people for winter holidays.
KUYUCUK BIRD PARADISE
My bonus suggestion that you can add to your list of places to visit around Kars Kuyucuk Bird Sanctuary. Lake Kuyucuk, one of the natural values of Kars, is home to 182 bird species.. Lake Kuyucuk Wildlife Development Area was established in 13 of our country in 2009.. Ramsar site declared. If you have completed the places to visit in Kars and you still have time, you can visit this place.
We have come to the end of our list of places to visit in Kars.. If you have anything to ask about Kars, you can write it in the comment section.. Happy travels. 🙂
