Far Northeast

From the windswept ruins of the old Armenian capital Ani to the haunting shells of medieval Georgian churches and impossibly perched clifftop castles, Turkey's far northeastern corner is a spectacular compendium of the multiple cultures that have trodden this frontier region over more than two millennia. Seljuk and Ottoman palaces and mosques, the Russian architecture of Kars and the occasional ancient Zoroastrian fire temple are set amid stunning landscapes that transmute from deep green river valleys to high pastures, snowy passes, arid steppeland and the majesty of Turkey's highest peak, 5137m Mt Ararat.

Explore Far Northeast

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Far Northeast.

  • Ruins

    Ani

    The ruins of Ani, 45km east of Kars, are an absolute must-see. Visitors enter through gigantic fortress walls that look like they fell off a crusader…

  • Palace

    İshak Paşa Palace

    There are few experiences as magical as watching a blazing sunset from behind this ridgetop stone structure, its dome and minaret silhouetted against a…

  • Church

    Tigran Honents Church

    Appealingly sited overlooking a stretch of river gorge, this 13th-century church appears relatively intact, though the current main door is within what…

  • Cathedral

    Öşkvank Cathedral

    Second only to Dörtkilise, Öşkvank is the region's most memorable Georgian church. Large, relatively well preserved and with plenty of very fine relief…

  • Fortress

    Kars Castle

    Dating from at least 1153, Kars Castle' s hefty, dark-stone walls crown the craggy ridge that dominates the city-centre's northern edge, fronted by a…

  • Castle

    Şeytan Kalesi

    Possibly of Urartian origin, this 'Devil's Castle' was for centuries a Georgian stronghold known as Qajis Tsikhe. It remains one of northeast Turkey's…

  • Cathedral

    Ani Cathedral

    Completed in 1010, the grassy-roofed cathedral is the largest building among the Ani ruins. The building's elegantly finished stone walls are relatively…

  • Mosque

    Manuçehr Camii

    Ani's 1072 Manuçehr Camii was built by the Seljuk Turks, using Armenian architects and artisans, creating a stylistic blend in what is considered to have…

  • Church

    İşhan Kilesisi

    Despite a 30m tower-spire, this laboriously restored ancient church is somewhat hidden amongst trees in Upper İşhan (İşhan Köyü), a green oasis village on…

  • Cave

    'Underground City'

    The cliffs and valleys all around the Ani plateau are riddled with hundreds of caves that guides have collectively dubbed Ani's 'Underground City'. Mostly…

  • Castle

    Ardanuç Kalesi

    This ruined fortress-citadel is a very dramatic sight, sat impregnably on top of a crag formed by soaring sheer rockfaces that rise from a hilltop on the…

  • Church

    Tbeti Church

    The impressively huge frontage of this shattered 10th-century Georgian church stands at the back of a peaceful highland village accessed by a 10km series…

  • Museum

    Kafkaz Cephesi Harp Tarihi Müzesi

    This new museum specialising in early 20th-century history is hosted in the heavy arches of an 1803 bastion, a surviving fragment of vast ramparts that…

  • Fortress

    İç Kale

    Covering the large rocky eminence at the southern point of the Ani plateau, İç Kale is a jumble of tumbled stone, with faint vestiges of ancient palaces…

  • Castle

    Engüzekkapı Kalesi

    Small but unusually complete, the castle ruins of Engüzekkapı are dramatically set atop a cylindrical crag that juts abruptly above the main Artvin…

  • Fortress

    Keçivan Castle

    Sturdy stone ruins of this 9th-century citadel straddle a ridge between two canyons forming a de facto city gate at the western entrance of Tunçkaya, now…

  • Church

    Church of St Prkitch

    Walking from the west, Ani's distinctive Church of the Redeemer (1034–36) looks strikingly complete despite the supporting scaffolding. From other angles,…

  • Palace

    Seljuk Palace

    Built into the western tip of Ani's defensive walls, this rectilinear palace has been so painstakingly over-restored that it looks quite out of place,…

  • Church

    Kervansaray

    The Church of the Holy Apostles (Arak Elots Kilisesi) dates from 1031, but after the Seljuks took the city in 1064 they added a gateway with a fine dome…

  • Castle

    Oltu Kalesi

    Originally built by Urartians around 1000 BC, this impregnable, extensively preserved fortress rises above the bus stand in the centre of Oltu town. The…