Things to see and do Kayseri

Kayseri was a stopover for the caravans that travelled the silk routes. The renovated bazaar (1859) is next to the citadel. It is the second of the country after that of Ankara. The atmosphere is traditional, with a wide variety of excellent quality carpets, cheaper than elsewhere in the country. Note the Bedesten (1497), a closed building, reserved in Ottoman times for precious goods. Today there are merchants of carpets, kilims and pastırma. Nearby is the Vezirhanı built in 1727 by Damat Ibrahim Paşa.

On the Cumhuriyet square, the citadel is accessible by two entrances. Built by Justinian in the VIth century, rebuilt with black volcanic rocks, in 1224, by the sultan seldjoukide Keykubad, the walls are 3 m thick! Today it houses the market. It is a pity that the traders use some facades to display advertising boards... By climbing on its walls, you will discover a marvellous view on the city.

It's hard not to find a museum or a souvenir of Atatürk in a province... So Kayseri has its own museum dedicated to the great man of the nation. During his visit to the city in August 1919, Atatürk stayed in a wealthy 19th century Ottoman house, which today bears his name. The place is worth a visit, if only for its architecture: it is a two-storey house, with a very small mezzanine and typical Ottoman-style decoration. The historical building is located near the square.

It is the first Seljuk külliye (religious complex) in Anatolia, built in the 13th century by Sultan Alaadin Keykubat. Near the citadel stands the mosque of Hünat Hatun (1228). Next to it is the türbe (Muslim funeral building) of Princess Mahperi, wife of Sultan Keykubad, a double hammam (still in use) and a 13th century medersa, which today houses a café in its shaded courtyard, a perfect example of Seljuk architecture.

Located in Mimar Sinan Park, the complex consists of two buildings: a hospital built in 1206 and a medersa (medical school) built in 1219, one of the first medical schools in the world. The complex was built at the request of Sultan Keyhüsrev and his sister Gevser Nesibe Sultan. Today, the complex has been transformed into a museum that exhibits different sections on Seljuk civilization, history, art and culture. Interesting.

This museum was originally located in the 13th century medersa of Hunat Hatun Külliyesi. Its contents have been housed in a historic 15th century house since 1998. And it is indeed the building that is worth seeing with its black and white stone facade and its splendid ceilings. Otherwise, you can admire a collection of ceramics, costumes, weapons and usual objects as well as a reconstruction of a house and a nomad tent (yurt).

Kayseri has magnificent Seljuk mausoleums, two-storey buildings that housed the remains of nobles. The most famous and beautiful is the Döner Kümbet (revolving mausoleum) in Talas Caddesi. Built in 1276 to house the tomb of a princess, it is spiral-shaped and appears to turn around. The fine outer ornaments with animal motifs are superb. Nearby you can also see the Sırçalı Kümbet which was originally covered with coloured earthenware.

This building is an old Seljuk Koranic school built in 1267 by Ata Ata Fahreddin Ali, entirely in ashlar. With its particularly remarkable and beautifully decorated portal, it is now a place where a book market is held. The place hosts a small exhibition on Seljuk art. A Roman tomb is located nearby. The mosque no longer exists and the fountain has been moved from the interior to the front of the building.

The Great Mosque was built in the twelfth century by the Turkish emirs and completed in 1205 by the Seljuks. It is also known as the Sultan Mosque or Cami-i Kebir. It is the oldest building in the city. Thanks to successive restorations, it has remained in very good condition. Note its rectangular shape, its beautiful cylindrical minaret of red bricks which is one of the highest in the country and the particular minbar in carved wood. Its fountain built near the south wall dates back to the beginning of the 18th century.

The archaeological museum in the city of Kayseri reminds us how Anatolia was the cradle of great civilizations that shone at various times. His collection includes finds from the Hittite city of Kanesh (Kültepe), tablets engraved with cuneiform inscriptions as well as Hellenistic and Roman objects. In the garden are two impressive lions from the 7th century BC. Although the museum is not very big, it is quite interesting.