ARTVIN TURKEY

Artvin

ArtvinAtatürk Sculpture (Atatepe)

The 22-metre high Artvin Atatürk Sculpture weighs atotal of 60 tons and has been built by Sıtkı Kahvecioğlu Foundation. Thesculpture describes Atatürk, walking on rocks at Dumlupınar. It is the world’sbiggest sculpture of Atatürk and right next, there is a 216 m² Turkishflag with a 60-metre long mast.

Artvin (Livane) Castle

Rising atop a steep hill, Artvin Castle is the firstthing to greet at the entrance to the city.  Athousand-year-old, also known as Livane Castle is located onthe banks of Çoruh river. It was built in the 10th century by King Bagrat(Georgian). The fortress has been repaired several times under Ottomanrule. It has some remains of a cistern and a chapel.

Artvin Culture House

According to the inscriptions, the house was builtby Bicanoğlu Yahya Ağa 1799. Located in Orta neighbourhood anddescribed as a garden villa in Ottoman register, the building is aTurco-Ottoman masterpiece. The cypress motifs on both sides of the stove are ofmajor importance in Turkish culture -as the tree is frequently used motif indecoration and the cypress represent the life.     

Kafkasör Highlands

Kafkasör Cultural Protection and Tourism DevelopmentRegion is just 10 km from the city center. Surroundedby pine, fir and spruce trees, the highlands boast rugged cliffs covered invirgin forest alongside precipitous slopes and forest trails. High-adrenalineand nature enthusiasts may enjoy the Kafkasör Plateau Festival andSports Festivities held every year in June provides the chance toexplore the cultural and artistic value of the region. Bull fighting is one ofthe traditional festival events that draw visitors’ attention.  

Ardanuç Cehennem Deresi Canyon (Hell Stream Canyon)

Cehennem Valley Canyon promises magnificent views toits visitors. Even though it is a challenging track, it motivates visitors byturning green in the spring. Located at the 25th kilometre of Artvin-Ardanuçhighway, it is a typical canyon. The 500-metre long, 70-metre wide and6-metre deep canyon ends with Ardanuç stream. The canyonis set in between mountains, so even its deepest point is way higher than sealevel.  

Wooden stairs have been placed from the entrance ofthe canyon to the end for easy access to visitors.

Double Bridges of Ortacalar

Two arched stone bridges of 8t century are 2500 metresaway from Ortacalar town centre in Arhavi District.They are located at Küçükköy and Arılı road junction. Similar toeach other, they have only one arch and their path is slightlyinclined. 

Doliskana Church - Hamamlı

Located in Hamamlı Village, it is possible to reachthe monastery via a 3-kilometre long road after Artvin-Şavşat highway.According to the inscriptions, it has been built by the Architect Gabriel, byorder of Sumbat I of Iberia. After the 16th century, a part of the monastery wasused as mosque. Today, only the church remains standing. The building is richin decoration with frescoes and other architectural ornaments. Thereare three works of art relief: one describing the king standing andholding the model church with both hands, the second describing angelfigures and a third one, a human mask on a triangularblock stone.

Tekkale Church (Dört Kilise)

Tekkale Village is 4 kilometres south of YusufeliDistrict and known by its monastery built in the 9th century by Georgian King David.The study of the building complex shows that it was a convent school. Themonastery consists of a belfry, a refectory, a seminar hall and achapel. Its architectural plan is similar to Barhal Church.The monastery is a perfect example of medieval monasteries of the region.

Porta (Handzta) Monastery (Pırnallı)

Porta (Pırnallı) Monasteryis located in Bağlık hamlet of Pırnallı Village and has beenbuilt in the 9th century, under the reign of King Gurgen, thegrandson of Ashot I. It was built on a ridge between two valleys inthe southwest of Pırnallı Village. The monastery consists of a church,a chapel, a fountain and a bell tower.It is surrounded by the houses of the hamlet. The complex was abandoned at theend of the 16th century. The monastery and the houses surrounding the monasteryare a good example reflecting Medieval settlement system.

Tibeti (Tbeti) Church

Tibeti Church doesn’t have anyinscriptions today. However, according to written sources, it was built by theorder of Ashot from the Bagrationi dynasty in the 10thcentury. Having become an important religious centre in the 11th century, ithas been home to intellectuals and hagiographers of the period. Repaired in12th and 15th centuries, the monastery has only its chapel and church standing.The church has diverse decorations as well as frescoes. Most of the decorationsconsist of floral ornaments. Around the apse window, there is abasket-weave-formed ornament in with two interlocked bands. Again, it ispossible to see leaf motifs in heart motifs. 

Barhal Church (Parkhali) 

Located in Altıparmak Village, BarhalChurch is 30 kilometres away Yusufeli District towncentre. Barhal is a Georgian Orthodox monastery church, one of the masterpiecesof Georgian medieval architecture. Written sources indicate that the church hasbeen built in the 9th century by King David IIIKurapalat and consecrated to John the Baptist. The middlenave of the basilica is high and sharply separated. Façade carvings areimpressive. The Gray cut stones are on the façades in south and North, andblind arches are added in east and west. A special feature of the ParkhliChurch is the long wall of the middle nave, which is separated by decorativearches, additionally decorated with painted images.

The monument is adorned with window titles, twistedcrosses, relief images of animals. The bas-relief vegetation motifs are in goodcondition.   

İşhan Church 

Christian monastery in the territory of Turkey in thevillage of Arpacık, Artvin province. Only the magnificent church and theadjacent chapel have survived. According to a manuscript dating from 951, Saba,the nephew and follower of the priest Gregory of Khandzta, founded a monasteryon the site of an earlier church. The church has a domed basilica plan. Thefacades of the church constructed with well-cut, multi-colored stones areenlivened by recessed blind arcades and deep triangular niches. Next to it,stands a chapel – according to the Georgian inscription placed on the entranceof the chapel, situated to the southwest of the cathedral, King Gurgen I (died1008) dedicated the chapel to the Holy Mother of God. 

Yeni Rabat Church (Ahaldaba)

The church is located Çamlık (Rabat) neighbourhood inBulanık Village, 17 kilometres away from Ardanuç District. The building issimilar to other churches in the region. It is believed to be built byBagrationi Dynasty ruling the region in Middle Ages. The building has triangularniches that reflect the interior architecture plan to the exterior.(Yeni) Rabat Church’s particularity is its triangular niches on the drum –as itis a very rarely seen feature in this region’s medieval architecture. Thenumber of niches is higher than window apertures. It has cut stones ornamentedwith plant motifs in relief on the façades.

Gevhernik Castle

The Gevhernik Castle is near AdakaleVillage of Ardanuç District. Presumedly built in the 5thcentury, it was home to Georgian kings and Childir beys.In 1551, Ottomans conquered the castle and Suleymanthe Magnificent had it repaired.  There is even an inscriptiondescribing the reparation process. Gevhernik Castle is theonly example of outer castle-inner castle structure in theregion.

Madenköy-Şavşat

Located 27 kilometres away from Şavşat District, at analtitude of 1900 metres, Maden Village, formerly known as Bazgiret isin a valley surrounded by forests and rocks. It is possible tosee Imerhev region’s all typical characteristics in thevillage. In addition to this, the village is a climate transitionzone where both Black Sea’s mild and rainy climate and EasternAnatolian continental climate coexist, and the flora variesaccordingly. The most interesting aspect of the village is that the civil architectureis all wooden and that customs, traditions and authentic lifestyle continueactively. A perfect spot to witness the authentic rustic lifestyle.

Ferhatlı Castle

Ferhatlı Castle is in Ferhatlı Village, 5 km west ofArdanuç. The building has no inscriptions on it. The fortress was repaired inthe 5th century by Vakhtang I Gorgasali, king of Iberia. There are not anyinformation or findings about before or after the reparation. EvliyaÇelebi mentions the castle in his travelogue Seyâhatnâme as “HarbeCastle”. Today, only some walls of the rubble stone castle remain standing.

Şavşat (Satlel) Castle

Set in Söğütlü neighbourhood of Şavşat District, theSatlel Castle is like other castles of Bagrationi castles. The exact date ofconstruction is unknown, but considering these similarities, it is possible tosay that it dates back to 9th or 10th century. The castle was also used duringOttoman period. Today, the major part of the fortress walls remains standing.There are ruins of a cistern and a chapel in the castle. Rubble stone and limemortar have been used in all units of the castle.

Dikyamaç Village Lifestyle Museum

Located in Arhavi district of Artvin Province,Dikyamaç Village and Surroundings Lifestyle Museum, Dikyamaç Museum is theregional ethnography museum.

Atabarı Ski Centre

Located 18 kilometres away from the city centre,on Mersivan Plateau, Atabarı Ski Centre has chair lift and gondola installed. KafkasörTourism Centre, only 10 kilometres away, offer accommodation and eatingoptions to skiers.

Artvin Houses

As a “province of forests”, Artvin has the mostbeautiful examples of wooden architecture. In addition to village houses andplateau houses, all buildings including granaries and barns are also madefrom wood. There are beautiful examples of stone architecturemostly in Yusufeli, and partially Ardanuç, Arhavi and Hopa districts.