Erzurum is a historic city at 1,890 metres elevation in northeastern Turkey, commanding the high plateau where ancient Silk Road caravans once crossed. The city holds one of Turkey's finest concentrations of Seljuk and Mongol architecture — the Çifte Minareli Medrese, Yakutiye Medresesi and Üç Kümbetler tombs stand beside an Ottoman castle with sweeping panoramas. Fifteen kilometres from the centre, Palandöken mountain hosts one of the Middle East's premier ski resorts. Erzurum is the birthplace of cağ kebabı, the horizontally-spit-roasted lamb unique to the region, and the origin of oltu taşı jet-stone jewellery.
Top attractions
The most popular and significant attractions in Erzurum.
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1
Çifte Minareli Medrese
This 13th-century Seljuk theological school is fronted by two fluted brick minarets rising above an elaborately carved stone portal, the feature that gives the building its name ("Twin Minaret Madrasa"). It was built under the Seljuks of Anatolia and later associated with the Mongol-era Ilkhanid period in the region, and its courtyard plan with four iwans is typical of Seljuk religious schools. Inside, the large domed hall at the rear (traditionally linked to Hunat Hatun) and the geometric and floral relief carving on the portal are the main things to look at, since the interior rooms are otherwise bare.
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2
Yakutiye Medresesi
Built in the early 14th century under Mongol Ilkhanid rule, this madrasa has a single elegant minaret decorated with turquoise-glazed tiles set in a herringbone brick pattern, distinguishing it from the plainer stonework of Çifte Minareli Medrese nearby. The building now houses a museum of Turkish-Islamic art and regional ethnography, with rooms arranged around the original domed courtyard. The exhibits of Erzurum-area costumes, weapons and calligraphy give the stone shell a practical use rather than leaving it an empty monument.
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3
Erzurum Castle (Kale)
This fortress sits on high ground at the center of the old city and has been rebuilt and reinforced repeatedly, from early Byzantine and Armenian fortifications through Seljuk and Ottoman additions, reflecting Erzurum's long role as a frontier garrison town on the eastern Anatolian plateau. A minaret-like clock tower was added on top of one of the towers in the Ottoman period, and climbing the internal stairs to the battlements gives a clear view over the surrounding grid of the old quarter. The walls themselves are plain and functional rather than decorative, so the main draw is the panorama rather than architectural detail.
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4
Üç Kümbetler (Three Tombs)
This small cluster of conical-roofed stone tombs (kümbet) dates from the Seljuk and early Beylik period and belongs to the same architectural family as the octagonal tomb towers found elsewhere in eastern Anatolia and Iran. Each tomb has a plain drum-shaped or polygonal base topped by a pointed cone, with the largest traditionally associated with a Seljuk ruler, though attributions for the individual tombs are not firmly settled. They sit in a quiet open plot next to the Çifte Minareli Medrese, making them easy to see without a special detour.
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5
Atatürk Congress and Ethnography Museum
This building housed the 1919 Erzurum Congress, the meeting where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and other delegates laid early groundwork for the Turkish national resistance movement before the Republic was founded. The ground floor preserves the congress hall much as it was, with period furniture and documents relating to the meeting, while other rooms hold an ethnography collection of regional textiles, jewelry and household items. It's a smaller, single-building museum rather than a sprawling complex, so a visit is relatively short and focused.
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6
Ulu Cami (Great Mosque)
This 12th-century mosque was built under the Saltukid Turkmen dynasty that ruled Erzurum before the Seljuks of Anatolia took control, making it one of the older surviving Islamic buildings in the city. Its interior is a wide forest of stone piers supporting a flat wooden roof pierced by small domes and skylights, a hypostyle layout closer to early Anatolian mosque design than the later Ottoman single-dome style. The plain exterior gives little hint of the repetitive, almost maze-like columned interior.
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7
Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque
This Ottoman mosque was commissioned by Lala Mustafa Pasha, a grand vizier under Suleiman the Magnificent, and is attributed to the circle of the great imperial architect Mimar Sinan, giving it the classical Ottoman single-dome-on-square-base form rather than the older Seljuk styles seen elsewhere in Erzurum. It's smaller and less ornamented than Sinan's famous Istanbul mosques, reflecting its provincial setting, but the proportions of the dome and portico follow the same design principles. It functions as a working neighborhood mosque today.
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8
Palandöken Ski Resort
Palandöken is one of Turkey's highest and most reliable ski areas, with runs starting above roughly 3,100 meters and a season that typically runs from November into April thanks to consistent snowfall and a long north-facing exposure. It draws intermediate and advanced skiers in particular for its steep upper pistes and off-piste terrain, while lower slopes serve beginners, and it has hosted international winter sports events. The resort is essentially a collection of hotels and lift bases rather than an old town, so it's a destination for the skiing itself rather than sightseeing.
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9
Rustem Pasha Caravanserai (Taşhan)
This is a 16th-century Ottoman caravanserai (han) commissioned by Rüstem Pasha, grand vizier to Suleiman the Magnificent, built to shelter merchants and their goods along the trade routes through Erzurum. The stone building is arranged around a central courtyard with small vaulted rooms on two levels, and today those rooms function as workshops and stalls, most of them selling Oltu stone jewellery rather than serving as a museum piece. Walking through, you're moving through a working trade building rather than a roped-off monument.
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10
Tortum Lake (Tortum Gölü)
Tortum Gölü was formed when a landslide blocked the Tortum River valley, creating one of the largest natural lakes in Turkey rather than a reservoir. The lake stretches for several kilometres between steep valley walls on the road between Erzurum and the Black Sea coast, and it's usually visited as a stop on that drive rather than a standalone destination. Facilities directly on the shore are limited, so most visitors pull off at viewpoints or a lakeside teahouse rather than spending a full day.
Attractions by category
Explore by your interests.
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Practical information
What you need to know before you go.
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- Carry ID (passport or Turkish ID for locals) at archaeological sites, Photography is permitted at most sites; a flash is restricted inside Yakutiye Medresesi, Modest dress required at mosques — women should carry a headscarf; remove shoes before entering prayer halls
Tips for visiting attractions
Make the most of your sightseeing time.
Visit popular attractions early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid crowds and harsh midday light.
Book tickets online in advance for major attractions to skip long queues and sometimes save money.
Many cities offer multi-attraction passes that include public transport. Calculate whether they save you money based on your itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
Is Erzurum worth visiting?
Yes — Erzurum has outstanding Seljuk and Mongol architecture, one of Turkey's best ski resorts at Palandöken, and an authentic eastern Anatolian atmosphere rarely found on the tourist trail.
How many days do I need in Erzurum?
Two days covers the key monuments; add two to three days for skiing at Palandöken in winter or day trips to Tortum Lake and Narman in summer.
What is the entry fee for Çifte Minareli Medrese?
40 TRY / approximately $1.20 as of 2025. The Museum Pass Turkey covers entry.