SIVAS TURKEY

Sivas

Government House 

Located inthe city center, the Government House was built in 1884, andin the beginning, it only had two floors and 42 rooms. In time, the buildingcould not meet the needs, and therefore, a third floor with 22 rooms was addedin 1913. The first two floors of the building were made of cut stone and the thirdfloor was built in 1913 using lumber. There is a triple entrance technique withan empirical style. The Government House has a simple arrangement in general.The protruding entrance sections, the semicircular arches on the windows andthe sharp arches and the moldings at the floor separations, the long woodeneaves, and the "flying buttresses" are applications that bringmovement to the facades.

Gendarmerie Building

According tothe inscription on it, the building was erected in 1908 as the GendarmerieOffice. The entire building is built of cut stone, has a wooden roof, andthe roof is covered with galvanized metal. From the inside, the ceiling andfloor of the volumes that make up the corner tower are made of lumber. Theceiling of the room on the second floor is decorated with artworks.

BuruciyeMadrasa 

BuruciyeMadrasa isamong the most famous structures of Sivas and Anatolia withits magnificent Crown gate. The Madrasa, which wasbuilt in 1271 during the period of Seljuk Sultan Gıyaseddin KeyhüsrevIII, was solely built for the purpose of teaching physics, chemistry, andastronomy. It has the most symmetrical Madrasa plan in Anatolia.The Madrasa with an open courtyard is made of cut stone. Ithas four iwans and two floors.

The DoubleMinaret Madrasa

 The madrasa was built in 1271/72.The only unique aspect of the building that has survived to the present day isits magnificent façade with the highest Crown gate in Anatolia. Thetwo minarets rising above the Crown Gate have become thesymbol of Sivas. It is one of the most monumental Madrasas builtin Anatolia and is also known as Dârü´l-hadis. Itis a two-story building with four iwans.

Gök Madrasa

The mostimportant building where Turkish architecture and decoration art can beobserved in one place was built in 1271 in Sivas. The marble stone doorof Gök Medrese has a rich appearance that allows thelight-shadow game to be experienced. The building has an open courtyard, fouriwans, and a two-story plan. Gök Madrasa, especially with its monumental marblecrown door and facade, fully reflects the character of the XIII Century. Themain iwan, which should have been to the east of the madrasa, was destroyed,and was later built with lumber. The building, known to have served as amadrasa since its construction, was converted into a museum in 1926.

ŞifaiyeMadrasa and Darüşşifa (Hospital)

Thisstructure is one of the most important Madrasas where patientswere treated and medicine was also taught during the period of State ofSeljuks. The part that has survived to the present day is the largesthospital in Anatolia. It was built in 1217/18. The courtyard with fouriwans and portico is entered through the magnificent Crown gate.There are sun and moon symbols on the crown entrance andreliefs in the form of male and female heads in the main iwan. In 1220, thesouth iwan was turned into a mausoleum.

It is thelargest of the Seljuk Medical sites and hospitals in Anatolia. The hospital wasconverted into a madrasa with an edict issued in 1768 and was used as a supplywarehouse during World War I.

Atatürk andSivas Congress Museum 

The SivasCongress, which was organized with the invitation and arrangement of MustafaKemal Atatürk and which is the first national Congress,gathered here between September 4 and 11, 1919. On the other hand,it has the distinction of being the first headquarters of the nationalstruggle as the de facto capital of the country, wherethe War of Independence was governed, between 2September and 18 December 1919 for a duration of 108 days.

 ArchaeologicalMuseum 

Built in1914 as the Mekteb-i Sanayi Factory, the building is the largestarcheology museum in Central Anatolia.

In themuseum, fossil remains of various mammals that lived in the region 9million years ago, as well as many findings belonging to the ChalcolithicAge (5500-3000 BC), the Old Bronze Age (3000-2000 BC)and the Hittites, as well as Roman, Byzantine, periodsand items belonging to the Seljuk and Ottoman periods are alsoexhibited. 

Âşık VeyselMuseum 

The house ofthe famous Turkish Folk Poet Âşık Veysel Şatıroğlu, locatedin Sivas Şarkışla District´s Sivrialan Village,was expropriated in 1979 and opened as a museum in 1982. In the museum, ÂşıkVeysel´s personal belongings, photographs, poems, and works publishedabout him are exhibited.

Âşık VeyselCulture and Art House 

It wasopened to service and to visit in the civic center of Sivas on21 March 2018 as a Culture and Art House, which keeps alive thename of minstrel Âşık Veysel ŞATIROĞLU, in order to continue thetradition of minstrelsy, which is registered in UNESCO´s IntangibleCultural Heritage National and Provincial Inventory.

HistoricalMansions 

İnönüMansion, which isthe mansion where İsmet İnönü, the second President of the Republic ofTürkiye, lived during his secondary schooling, Susamışlar Mansion,which was built in the 19th century and used as Mevlevihane anda venue for the Semah performances, Osman Ağa Mansion, which isused as a public library and coffee house, Abdi AğaMansion, which is managed as Sivas House and Ahmet Hüdai MuseumHouse which is known as Green Mansion are some of thehistorical buildings in the city.

Saint Blaise

The tombof Saint Blaise, who is estimated to have lived in Sivas between280 and 316, resides in Sivas. He was well known to be a throat andeyes physician. He is widely accepted as one of the first bishops ofChristianity in Anatolia. Many churches and monuments werededicated in his name in the Christian world. 

Divriği UluMosque and Darüşşifa (Hospital) 

It was builtduring the Mengücek Principality period of the AnatolianSeljuk State. The magnificent motifs, which reflect the most precious andfinest examples of stonework, created by masters from Ahlat and Tbilisi,attract the attention and awareness of the whole world. It is one of themasterpieces of Islamic architecture and it was included in the list of "WorldCultural Heritage" by UNESCO in 1985.

Rocky CavesArchaeological Site

Rocky Caveslocated in Ekinli Village of Zara District have been registered asarchaeological sites. It is thought that these rocky caves were built and usedby local people who needed to escape and hide from the attacks of the Romans inthe first years of Christianity. A small number of Roman amorphous ceramicpieces were found in the excavation soil taken out from an illegal excavationpit.

Yıldızeli - Kayalıpınar HittiteCities

Altınyayla-Sarissa 

Yıldızeli-Kayapınar (Samuha Hittite City), which is among the important settlements of the Hittites,takes you on a journey to the depths of history, and the Hittite Cityof Altınyayla Sarissa, where the first written agreement in the world wassigned with its 4 thousand years history, are among the points ofinterest for visitors in the city.

CurvedBridge

Rumor has itthat an apprentice working with a great master leaves his master and begins tobuild this bridge. During the construction of the bridge, the beauty of thebridge is heard by his earlier master.

While hismaster praises his apprentice with a stanza, he asks him to give the bridge alittle curvature to be safe from the evil eye. The apprentice fulfills hismaster´s request and completes the bridge in an oblique manner. The CurvedBridge, which is thought to be a work of the State of Seljuk era, is one of thevisual pulchritudes that you should definitely see during your visit to Sivas.

HistoricalInns

Behram PaşaInn, which wasbuilt in 1576 and now provides accommodation services as a privatefacility; Subaşı Inn, which was built in the 16th century and is aninn where tradespeople sell dry food, Çorapçı Inn, which is used asa Culture and Art House, and Taşhan, which was built in the secondhalf of the 19th century, are among the historic inns in the city.

HistoricalMosques 

MeydanMosque, where thetomb of Şemseddin Sivasî, who is considered to be one of the threeShams in the Islamic world, is located; Ulu Mosque, which isone of the first mosques built by the Seljuks in Anatolia andwhere the tomb of İhramcızade İsmail Hakkı Toprak, who is one of the importantspiritual figures of the Ottoman period, is located; KaleMosque, which was built to serve the Madrasas in the historical city square,and the Sadaka Stone next to this mosque are among the placesthat should be seen by visitors in the city.

HotSprings 

KangalBalıklı Hot spring isthe only natural treatment center for psoriasis inthe world. Located in Kangal district, Balıklı Hot spring is98 km from Sivas city center. The toothless fish livingin the hot spring water rupture the fluffy scabs softened by the water at36-37°C, allowing the thermal water to affect inside the skinand cleanse the skin until it becomes smooth. There is one hotel, two swimmingpools, four treatment pools, and promenade areas in the region, serving withinthe private enterprise. The hot spring has passed scientificexaminations and the enterprise is licensed by the Ministry of Health.It is also common that full-fledged hospitals refer some of their patients whoneed this kind of treatment to the hot spring.

Çermik HotSpring: Thewater temperature of Çermik Hot Spring, which is 31 km away fromthe city center, varies between 46°C and 50°C. The springwater, which has a composition of sodium, sulfate, hydro-carbonate,magnesium, and carbonate, is believed to be effective in the treatment of rheumatism,nervous system, respiratory tract, metabolism disorders, kidney and urinarytract, blood circulation, and heart diseases.

Altınkale: This hot spring is located inthe locality of Çermik Hot Springs, 31 kilometers from the citycenter. It is a formation consisting of yellow-colored sediments due to thehigh amount of sulfur in the hot spring water and cascading pools similarto Pamukkale. Those who visit Altınkale can enjoythe pools and benefit from the natural warmth and healing of the spring water.

Çermik ColdSpring: ÇermikCold Spring, which is 20 km away from the city center, has a watertemperature of 28°C and offers accommodation facilities in prefabricatedhouses. The spring water is believed to have healingeffects for diseases of the stomach, intestines, and gall bladder, andespecially nervous system disorders.

Emirhan andEğribucak Rock Formations

These aretwo of areas that qualify as geological heritages. Eğribucak Rockies,which are about 5 km away from Emirhan Rockies and have anappearance resembling Fairy Chimneys of Cappadocia, has recentlybeen a popular destination for trekking enthusiasts.

YıldızdağıSki Center 

YıldızdağıWinter Sports Tourism Center has the quality to be one of the most importantski centers of our country with its slope, height, elevation difference of thetracks, track variety and possible future tracks, snow quality, and duration ofsnow. Yıldızdağı Winter Sports Tourism Center possessestechnical qualifications for large organizations.

Moreover,water sports such as diving, boating, jet skiing, angling canbe performed in Yıldız Lake, which is aimed to come to the fore notonly with winter sports opportunities but also with summeractivities. The lake is beautifully located at the foot of YıldızMountain.

Mountaineering,trekking, paragliding, mountain biking, camping, horse riding, and kite flyingactivities for children are also organized in order to promote summer activities. Sportsclubs that set up their camping tents take a walk to YıldızMountain and reflect the flora and fauna of theregion on their shutters during their photo safaris. In addition,there are viewing terraces, picnic areas, and resting areas within the scope ofsummer activities in the region. There are also daily facilities and hotels foraccommodation.