Turkey. Eastern Anatolian region (Турция.Регион восточной Анатолии)

36 Pages·2009·15.1 MB·English

by  Aygul Ozdemir

The Toros (Taurus) Mountains paralleling Turkey's
southernborderandtheBlackSeaMountainsinthenorth
meetto form a mighty range which definesthe country's
easternborder.
The tremendousdiversityofthe easternandsoutheasternlandssurprisestravelere:theredochre
plateauofErzurum;theforests,waterfalls,andgreenpasturesofKarsandAgn;thepermanentsnow
caponbiblicalMountAgrl(Ararat);andtheimmenseLakeVanwithitsdeepbluewaters.Dwellings
andwaysoflifealsovarygreatlyinthislargeregion.Forexample,small,earth-roofedhouses,built
closetothegroundtypifyKars.Despiteagenerallyausterelife,thepeopleofKarsaregenerousand
hospitable.
The region's long and turbulenthistoryhas left monumentsto itsvariouscivilizations;Byzantine
monasteriesandchurches,Seljukmausoleumsandcaravanserais,andelegantOttomanmosques

andhilltopcitadels.Totheinveteratetravelerandloverofadventure,thisregionofTurkeyfascinates,
astonishesandinforms.
FROMERZiNCANTODOGUBAYAZIT
Thegreattrans-Anatonanaxisroad,isthemostdirectroutebetweenAnkaraandtheIranianborder,
andpassesthroughSivas,Erzincan,Erzurum,AgflandDogubayazlt.

Erzlncan,oneoftheimportantcitiesintheregion,lies688kmeastofAnkaraonafertileplain.The
highly-decorated and hand-fashionedcopperwareofErzincanmaintainsalongtradition inthe
area'sfameformetalwork.AkbulutSkiCenter,40kmtothewest,providesfacilitiesforwinter
sportsenthusiasts.DumanllPlateauinRefahiyeCountyisarelaxinglocationamongpinetrees.
Theelevationsoftheskicenterandplateauareboth2000m.Erzincanhastwosportsclubthatplay
'clrit',ajavelingameofdaredevilhorsemanshipinwhichwoodenjavelinsarethrownathorseman
ofopposingteamstogainpoints.ThegameisplayedmainlyinEasternTurkey.
Manyofthemagnificentbronzeobjectsinthe MuseumofAnatouanCMlizationsinAnkarawere
foundatthenearbyUrartiansiteofAltlntepe,eastofErzincan. Theitemsdatefrom900-600BC.
AtTeresn,theround12th-centurymausoleumofMamaHatunwith itsbeautifullycarvedstone
portalisworthadetouroffthemainroad.ThewaterfallsatGlrvellk,29kmsoutheastofErzincan,
provide idealpicnic spotswhereyou caneat apacked lunchand relaxtothe sound ofwater
tumblingoverrocks. SouthwestofErzincanisthebeautifulgreentownofKemallyeontheFirst
(Euphrates)River.Thehospitalityofthelocalsandthearchitectureofthetownareworthavisit.
ThebestplaceforraftingandcanoeingisatnearbyKaranhkBogaz.Youwillalsowanttogoona
photosafaritotakeinthenaturalbeautyofthearea.
Erzurum,193km eastofErzincanandthe largestcity ineastern Anatona,sprawlson ahigh

plateau at an altitude of 1,950 meters. As you enter the city, the large Aziziye Monument
commemoratingtheTurkish-Russianwarwillcatchyoureye.
Althoughthecollectioninthearchaeologicalmuseumrevealsmuchofthecity'shistoryandancient
origins,itisErzurum'sarchitecturewhichisinfact the bestpictureofitspast. The citywallsand
fortressare reminiscentoftheperiodofByzantinerule.The 5th-centurycitadelbuiltbyEmperor
Theocosius stands on a hill at an altitude of 2000 meters.Of particularimportance are the
remainingSeljukbuildings-brilliantexamplesofafascinatingaesthetic.The UluCami(Grand
Mosque)wasbuiltin1179byMelikNasreddinMehmet(MehmettheRedLion).Ithasanunusual
formwithsevenwidenaves.TheCitteMinareliMedrese,ortheologicalcollege,builtbytheSeljuk
SultanAlaeddinKeykubatin1253,astonishesvisitorswithelaboratestonecarvingsonitsportaland
itsmajesticdoubleminarets.Behindthe<;ifteMinareliMedresestandstheU<;:KUmbetler,agroupof
threetombs,themostnotableofwhichisthatofEmirSaltuk.The13th-centuryHatuniyeTUrbesi,or
mausoleum,wasbuiltforSultanAlaeddinKeykubarsdaughter.Thebeautifulportalandrichly-tiled
minaretofthe13th-centuryYakutiyeMedresereveal anotherfacetofSeljukarchitecture.Youcan
alsoseeOttomanbuildingsinErzurum.ThegreatarchitectSinanlefthismarkonthecityintheLata
MustafaPasaMosque.TheAtatOrkhouseandmuseumwhereAtaturkstayedandheldacongress
arenearthemosque.
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