Open Travel Guide
History of Çorum

Çorum History & Heritage Guide 2026

A historical companion to Çorum — what happened, where to stand, and what survives.

By Updated

Çorum has 6+ historical sites covered in this guide, led by Hattuşa – Hittite Capital, Alacahöyük Archaeological Site and Yazılıkaya Open-Air Sanctuary. Each entry below includes the practical details — what it costs, when to go, and how to plan around it.

Çorum is a mid-sized city in north-central Turkey, perched on the Anatolian plateau at roughly 800 m elevation. It serves as the provincial capital and is best known as the jumping-off point for the UNESCO World Heritage Hittite sites of Hattuşa and Alacahöyük. The city itself harbours a fine archaeological museum, animated bazaars, and a tradition of producing Turkey's finest roasted chickpeas (leblebi). Visitors find a genuinely local atmosphere, affordable prices, and easy day-trip access to some of the most consequential ruins in the ancient world.

Historical timeline

Key moments that shaped Çorum.

  1. 1

    Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age settlements at Alacahöyük; royal tombs with rich grave goods

    c. 2500–2000 BCE
  2. 2

    Hittite Old Kingdom founded; Hattuşa becomes capital of the first great Anatolian empire

    c. 1750 BCE
  3. 3

    Hittite Empire flourishes; signed the world's first known peace treaty (Treaty of Kadesh) with Egypt in 1259 BCE

    c. 1650–1200 BCE
  4. 4

    Bronze Age Collapse; Hattuşa burned and abandoned; Hittite Empire ends

    c. 1200 BCE
  5. 5

    Phrygian presence in the region

    c. 700 BCE
  6. 6

    Region falls to Persian Achaemenid Empire under Cyrus the Great

    547 BCE
  7. 7

    Alexander the Great passes through Anatolia

    333 BCE
  8. 8

    Roman rule; region part of Pontus and later Galatia provinces

    c. 200 BCE – 395 CE
  9. 9

    Byzantine period; Christian churches and fortifications built

    395–1071 CE
  10. 10

    Battle of Manzikert; Seljuk Turks enter Anatolia

    1071
  11. 11

    Danishmend dynasty controls the region; build mosques and caravanserais

    c. 1080–1175
  12. 12

    Seljuk Sultanate of Rum; Çorum becomes a Seljuk town

    1175–1243
  13. 13

    Mongol invasion (Battle of Köse Dağ); Seljuks become vassal state

    1243
  14. 14

    Ottoman expansion; Çorum incorporated into Ottoman Empire

    Late 14th c.
  15. 15

    Turkish Republic proclaimed; Çorum becomes provincial capital

    1923
  16. 16

    Hattuşa inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site

    1986

Historical sites

Places where Çorum's past comes alive.

Historic

Hattuşa – Hittite Capital

Admission: 280 TRY (~$8.40) – Museum Pass accepted

Historic

Alacahöyük Archaeological Site

Admission: 100 TRY (~$3)

Historic

Yazılıkaya Open-Air Sanctuary

Admission: Included with Hattuşa admission

Historic

Çorum Archaeological Museum

Admission: 120 TRY (~$3.60)

Historic

Çorum Castle (Ottoman Kale)

Admission: Free

Historic

Osmancık Taşköprü (Kızılırmak Medieval Bridge)

Admission: Free

Related topics