Yozgat

When the Battle of Manzikert (Malazgirt) opened the gates of Anatolia to the Turks, the Seljuks came with caravans and settled on the Bozok plateau.

When you enter Yozgat, set among mountains, you are first greeted by the square-prism Yozgat Clock Tower, built by Şakir Usta of Yozgat. It shows itself in all its glory from every part of the city, as if quietly watching over it.

The thick, plastered stone walls of the old Yozgat houses, built against the slopes because of the harsh climate, are painted snow white and make a wonderful view. Besides single-storey houses, the area also has two- and three-storey houses and mansions, many of them built in the 1800s.

With their unique architecture, the military recruitment office and the Çapanoğlu Mosque stand imposingly right in the middle of the bazaar. The Çapanoğlu Mosque, built in 1779, has a main hall with three sections and a single dome.

The Yozgat Museum, known as the Nizamoğlu Mansion, was built in 1871. Its ceilings and walls are panelled in wood. It is a museum displaying ethnographic objects typical of the area.

A city tour by phaeton, carriages that carry the past into the present, will make you fall for Yozgat all over again. Ice-cold mountain water flows from the fountains on street corners, and as you wander, the lovely smell of parmak çörek fresh from the oven draws you in.

Right next to the city, adorning the mountains, is Çamlık (the pine grove). Çamlık, the first national park, is an image of paradise on earth. Like the great leader Atatürk, who came to Çamlık, you won't want to leave. Summer and winter, the rush of water flowing among the trees breaks the silence… Çamlık invites those seeking peace. Centuries-old monumental trees reach up to the sky, and sometimes you can't even see the sun through the branches.

The Başçavuş Mosque, built in 1850, has rare ceiling work and window decoration. In Yozgat, a city of mosques and tombs, you find peace among some of the finest examples of Anatolian Islamic culture.

The Karabıyık Bridge, with its superb stonework, built by Yavuz Sultan Selim (Selim I) in 1516 on his way to the Egyptian campaign, is among the works worth seeing.

You can't leave without eating Yozgat's famous dishes: arabaşı soup, madımak and, most importantly, testi kebabı. Testi kebabı impresses as much with how it is served as with its taste.

Places to visit in Yozgat: historic sites

Akdağmadeni Forests

The Akdağmadeni Forests, covering a large area in Yozgat's Akdağmadeni district, hold much of the province's natural beauty.

The forest, quiet in winter, comes alive especially in spring and summer. It stands out not only for its scenery but also for its air, water and wildlife.

The Akdağmadeni Forests are home to many tree species, above all pine and oak. Their most important feature is that they are the only block forest in the Central Anatolia Region. The forest is also an important source of income for local people.

If you ever find yourself in Yozgat, don't forget to visit the Akdağmadeni Forests and then enjoy a picnic.

Saraykent Hot Springs

The Saraykent Hot Springs are 71 kilometres from Yozgat's city centre and welcome hundreds of tourists to their healing waters every year.

The spring water, good for many ailments, contains sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate and calcium sulphate… The Saraykent Hot Springs help with rheumatism, fractures and dislocations, neuritis and gynaecological conditions, as analyses by the Ministry of Health have shown. The water temperature ranges from 70 °C to 74 °C.

There are hotels to stay in at the spa area, one of Yozgat's thermal riches. Book yourself a nice spot at the Saraykent Hot Springs soon.

Behramşah Castle

Behramşah Castle, counted among Yozgat's historic treasures but with few visitors because it has not been promoted much, is one of the best places for those who love to explore.

Behramşah Castle, near the village of Muşalikalesi in Akdağmadeni, stands on a high hill. The castle, small in size, is known to have been built by Necmeddin Behramşah-ı Candar, one of the emirs of Gıyaseddin Keykavus (Kaykaus). Rubble stone and cut stone were used to build it.

Much of Behramşah Castle has survived to the present day. But this structure, which could boost tourism, has not been promoted much, so it is little known.

Karslıoğlu Mansion

The Karslıoğlu Mansion, one of the finest examples of Yozgat's traditional house architecture, is dated to 1883. It has one special feature: Atatürk stayed in the Karslıoğlu Mansion on his second visit to Yozgat.

The mansion has a rectangular plan. It has two floors and is covered by a wooden roof. The woodwork on the ceilings, doors and cupboard doors in particular is worth seeing. Today the mansion serves as the Archaeology Museum… Many objects brought to light in excavations within Yozgat's borders are displayed in the museum. The Karslıoğlu Mansion is on Sungurlu Street in the city centre.

Yozgat Clock Tower

The Clock Tower in the centre of Yozgat is dated to 1908.

The Yozgat Clock Tower, built by Mayor Tevfikizade Ahmet Bey, was built in six sections. Each section is separated from the next, and each face has a window. Stairs inside the tower lead up, and the top floor is surrounded by a balcony.

The tower's clock weighs 288 kilos and bears the inscription “Nores Jura and L.D Odobey Gadet”. You will easily see the Yozgat Clock Tower when you walk around the centre. The Çapanoğlu Mosque, the Başçavuş Mosque and the Yozgat Museum are very close to the tower.

Karabıyık Bridge

The Karabıyık Bridge, built by Yavuz Sultan Selim (Selim I) in 1516 during his Egyptian campaign, still stands today.

The inscription of the Karabıyık Bridge, at the 38th kilometre of the Yozgat–Şefaatli road over the Kaynak Suyu stream, has not survived. Cut stone was used in its construction. It is 54 metres long and 4.50 metres wide, and its arch spans are 6.60 metres.

The Karabıyık Bridge, one of the city's oldest structures, has few visitors because it has not been promoted much.

Başçavuş Mosque

With its architecture and historic value, the Başçavuş Mosque is a place of worship worth seeing in Yozgat.

The mosque, in the İstanbulluoğlu neighbourhood of the central district, was built in 1800–1801. Its founder was Başçavuş (Sergeant Major) Halil Ağa. The Başçavuş Mosque is notable for its floral motifs and horseshoe-arched plasterwork as well as its carved wooden decoration… The mosque has a rectangular plan and a flat ceiling.

The minbar is to the west of the mihrab and is made entirely of wood. The portico is supported by two wooden posts, inside and out.

The Başçavuş Mosque, still used for worship today, is one of the city's must-see places.

Çapanoğlu Mosque

The Çapanoğlu Mosque, which has stood the test of time and impresses with its solidity and architecture, is one of Yozgat's old places of worship.

Also called the Büyük Camii (Great Mosque), the Çapanoğlu Mosque is dated to 1779. The first part of the mosque was built by Mustafa Bey, son of Çapanoğlu Ahmet Paşa, and the second part by Mustafa Bey's brother Süleyman Bey in 1794–1795. The architect of the Çapanoğlu (Great) Mosque is not known for certain. It has been extended with new additions over time.

This Ottoman mosque is one of the rare examples in Anatolia of the Turkish architectural style that emerged under European influence, and since it is in the İstanbulluoğlu neighbourhood of the central district, it is easy to reach.

Yozgat Museum

The Nizamoğlu Mansion in Yozgat, dated to 1871, was listed among old buildings to be protected in 1975.

It was expropriated in 1979 and, after extensive restoration, opened as a museum in 1985. The Yozgat Museum is in the İstanbulluoğlu neighbourhood of the city centre.

The museum has archaeological and ethnographic sections. The ethnographic section has more than 2,800 objects: local costumes, kitchenware, kilims, manuscripts, wooden objects, weapons and woven carpets are among the pieces in the collection.

The section displaying archaeological finds also has a rich collection. Its more than 1,640 archaeological objects include sculptures, terracotta sarcophagi, grave finds, tablets, coins and seals.

Çeşka Castle

Çeşka Castle, just 3 kilometres from Yozgat's central district, is one of the city's little-known historic sites.

Çeşka Castle is an underground city built on a high hill, with three separate entrances. Because it is so close to the central district, new work is being done to open it to tourism. Pottery fragments from the Byzantine and Roman periods have been found at Çeşka Castle.

You can add Çeşka Castle to the day you visit the Kerkenes ruins in Yozgat.

Kerkenes ruins

The Kerkenes ruins, one of the historic sites of Sorgun in Yozgat, will take you on a long journey through 4,000 years of history. This easy-to-reach ancient settlement is in the village of Şahmuratlı.

The first excavations at the Kerkenes ruins began in 1993. Although research showed that the city was founded by the Medes around 6000 BC, the discovery of Phrygian inscriptions in new excavations proves that the city became Phrygianised in its later periods. The ancient city of Kerkenes, the site Herodotus mentions as Pteria, was the largest city of its time.

Basilica Therma (historic healing centre)

Archaeological excavations in Yozgat's Sarıkaya district have uncovered Anatolia's first thermal healing centre. The remains, called Basilica Therma, are among the most special structures in history.

Research has shown that it dates from the Roman Empire. Its location on thermal springs strengthens the idea that it was built as a thermal centre. Work on these 3,000-year-old remains is expected soon to open them to tourism.

The excavations are led by Ömer Yıldız, an archaeologist at the Yozgat Museum Directorate.

Source: http://www.gezilebilecekyerler.com/yozgatta-gezilecek-yerler/

• Akdağmadeni
• Aydıncık
• Boğazlıyan
• Çandır
• Çayıralan
• Çekerek
• Kadışehri
• Merkez (central district)
• Saraykent
• Sarıkaya
• Sorgun
• Şefaatli
• Yenifakılı
• Yerköy