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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.

Top attractions

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

  • See

    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 carvings, it sits in the heart of Çamlıyamaç village. It's 8km off the Erzurum-Artvin road, accessed via a side valley that's full of scenic delights. If you can get in, the interior is breathtaking, with four massive pillars soaring upwards to high arches that support the 12-windowed drum tower and dome. The cathedral was once the centrepiece of one of Tao-Klarjeti's most important monasteries, a centre of learning and literature that remained active until at least the 15th century. The building reputedly served as the model for the 11th-century Bagrati Cathedral built in Kutaisi (Georgia). Reliefs include archangels, an eagle clutching a deer and Christ flanked by the Virgin Mary, John the Baptist and the monastery's patrons, King Davit III on the left and Prince Bagrat on the right, holding models of the cathedral. Inside of the south facade, frescoes have been partially preserved showing scenes from the Crucifixion and what is though to be a royal wedding in front of Bana Cathedral. Following the street around the east end of the cathedral, you'll find, up on the left, the ruins of the monastery's large, now-roofless refectory and, attached to its north end, the remains of the scriptorium.

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    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 series of historic mosques. Climbing the ramparts offers a series of sweeping views, especially memorable before sunset, but there is no museum and relatively little to see inside beyond gazing at the panorama from the Kale Cafe. Fun for its legend, if not for its architecture, is the tiny tomb of Celal Baba who had his head sliced off while trying to defend the castle from Mongol attack in 1239. Unperturbed by such a flesh wound, Celal picked up his own severed head and kept on fighting. Or so the story goes. The fortress was demolished in 1386 by Central Asian conqueror Tamerlane (Timur) and rebuilt several times over the following centuries. During and after WWI, the fortress was once again the scene of bitter fighting.

  • See

    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 of partly asphalted roads amid some very pretty landscapes. As you approach, a carpet of terraced fields rises towards the church, but the ruins are almost invisible between trees until shortly before you arrive. There are a couple of cafes next to the site. To reach it, take the road signposted to Karagöl from beside Şavşat Kalesi castle, turn almost immediately right onto a new road alongside the river, then left on an unpaved road. Turn left again onto a roughly asphalted older road (away from the next Karagöl sign) then fork right before turning left just before the church. The total distance from Şavşat Kalesi is 10km. There's an alternative route from Şavşat town.

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    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 formerly enclosed the city. The most striking display is a recreated WWI-era field hospital with eerily lifelike waxworks. The Halıtpaşa microbus from Eski Otogar passes very close to the site: from the nearest stop, walk up a curl of dead-end lane. Note that the museum is incorrectly marked on most online maps. Outside, notice the railway carriage. It was presented to Kazım Karabekir, the Turkish general who took Kars from the Armenians in 1920, and dedicated on the occasion of his signing the 1921 Treaty of Kars between Turkey and Soviet representatives from Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

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    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–Erzurum roadside, 4km south of Uzendere. The site is visible as you drive by, or you can walk steeply up from the car park in around 15 minutes to a spindly cross-chasm footbridge for some memorable views. The footbridge leads onto the cragtop with a path leading around between the outer and inner walls, but to penetrate the latter requires squeezing through a whole less than 1m high. The castle's history is mistily recorded. It possibly dating to Byzantine times, but it is known to have fallen to the Ottomans in September 1547.

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    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 entrance is from the east side but at the time of research the gate was locked pending repair work. The castle was of some importance during the Roman and Byzantine periods, and was later occupied by the Seljuks and Genoese colonists before being taken by the Ottomans in the 16th century.

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    Tortum Şelalesi

    Especially in May when it's at full power, this wide, impressive waterfall is well worth the 600m detour off the D950 for those driving between Yusufeli and Erzurum. The parking area leads through to a teahouse-cafe, at the top of which two arcs of stairway lead down great views (and photo opportunities) of the falls from either side.

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    Evliya Camii

    With an especially attractive north facade, the 16th-century 'Mosque of Saints' was built to commemmorate the 11th-century saint Hasan-i Harakani who brought Sufi-inspired Islam to this region of Anatolia before being martyred in Kars. Attatched to the mosque's southeast corner, his domed tomb remains much revered by pilgrims.

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    Taş Camii

    Though it's been partially repurposed as a mosque since the 16th century, this late 10th-century church building was once part of a big Georgian monastery, a centre of arts and learning known as Khakhuli. From outside you can admire the conical dome of multicoloured tiles, resting on an elegant drum with blind arcading and eight windows. The doorway of the south-side porch is interestingly carved, with angels holding a cross above it, and biblical scenes and animals carved on the jambs. This main section is in a reasonable state of repair and the imam is usually happy to let visitors inside to see the apse's fresco fragments in return for a small donation to its upkeep. Other monastery buildings and part of the original church are semi-derelict and used as barns and woodsheds. From Uzundere, drive 6km south on the D950 then 6km west using wide, well-paved lanes forking left in Pehlivanlı then right by the ATM in Bağbaşı. Dolmuş services run a few times daily to Tortum (the town, not Tortum Gölü) and on to Erzurum.