Erzurum: Places to Visit

The Cimcime Hatun Tomb, constructed in 1304 on Cumhuriyet Street in Erzurum, is a refined example of Ilkhanid monumental funerary architecture, characterized by its cylindrical body, twelve blind arches, the 2011-discovered crypt chamber, and the Melike Çiçak Hatun inscription.

Erzurum Castle, home to the historic Clock Tower, stands in Yakutiye district. Dating back to the 5th century, it is the city's oldest cultural monument.

A cultural corridor in Eastern Anatolia spanning from the monumental Seljuk and Ilkhanid madrasas on the slopes of Palandöken to the iconic tomb towers in the Lake Van basin.

Built during the reign of Ilkhanid ruler Oljaitu in 1310-1311, the Erzurum Yakutiye Madrasa is a monumental structure distinguished by its enclosed courtyard, muqarnas corbeling, double-headed eagle motifs, and relief carvings, as well as its glazed brick minaret with firozeh and purple glazes [1].

Located in İçkale, the Hatuniye Madrasa, with its 35 × 48 meter dimensions, is Anatolia's largest Seljuk madrasa. Its two-story, four-iwan open courtyard plan, 26-meter brick minarets, tilework, and tree of life carvings define this architectural landmark [1].

Rising to the south of Erzurum's Double Minaret Madrasa, the Three Tombs consist of the 12th-century two-colored tomb of Emir Saltuk, featuring twin serpent and griffin reliefs on its drum, along with twelve anonymous tombs and crypts, forming one of Anatolia's oldest open-air mausoleums in funerary architecture.