Sivas

Standing at the ancient crossroads of Anatolia where the great Silk Road and the Royal Road of the Persians once converged, Sivas is one of Türkiye's most historically significant and underappreciated cities. The second largest province in the country by area, it carries within its borders a remarkable concentration of Seljuk architectural masterpieces, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Divriği's Grand Mosque and Hospital — widely considered the supreme achievement of medieval Anatolian stonework. Sivas also holds a pivotal place in the story of the Turkish Republic, for it was here in 1919 that Atatürk convened the Congress that set in motion the War of Independence. Beyond its historic heart, the province enchants with crystalline highland lakes, the famous fish-nibbling thermal springs of Kangal, and forested valleys and waterfalls of great natural beauty.

Sivas's Historical Landmarks

  • Divriği Grand Mosque and Hospital (Darüşşifa) – A UNESCO World Heritage Site of breathtaking artistic achievement, built in 1228 by the Mengücekid ruler Ahmed Shah, whose intricately carved stone portals are among the most extraordinary examples of decorative stonework in the entire Islamic world.

  • Sivas Congress Building – The historic building where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk convened the pivotal Sivas Congress of September 1919, the defining moment that united the national resistance movement and set Türkiye on the path to independence, now preserved as a museum of the Republic.

  • Çifte Minareli Medrese (Twin Minaret Medrese) – A majestic 13th-century Seljuk medrese whose twin fluted minarets and richly carved portal make it one of the most iconic and photographed monuments of medieval Anatolian architecture.

  • Gök Medrese (Blue Medrese) – An exquisite 13th-century Seljuk medrese of exceptional decorative elaboration, its carved stonework and elegant proportions representing the pinnacle of Ilkhanid-influenced Anatolian architectural tradition.

  • Buruciye Medrese – A beautifully preserved 13th-century Seljuk medrese in the heart of the old city, housing a fine collection of Seljuk artefacts and offering a serene courtyard of stone columns and carved detail.

  • Kangal Fish Spring (Balıklı Kaplıca) – A world-famous thermal spring near Kangal whose warm mineral waters are home to the celebrated Garra rufa fish, which nibble away skin conditions in a natural spa experience that has drawn visitors from across the globe for generations.

  • Eğri Köprü (Crooked Bridge) – A graceful 12th-century Seljuk stone bridge spanning the Tohma River, its distinctive arched form set against a backdrop of green hills and clear mountain water, one of the most picturesque historic structures in central Anatolia.

  • Gökpınar Lake – One of the most beautiful natural lakes in central Türkiye, with extraordinarily clear turquoise waters fed by underground springs in the hills above Gürün, set in a landscape of rugged limestone ridges and pine forest.

Must-Sees!

Divriği Grand Mosque and Hospital

Sivas Congress Building

Explore Sivas

  • Marvel at Divriği's Stone Masterpiece – Journey to the remote town of Divriği to stand before the most extraordinarily carved stone portals in the medieval Islamic world, a UNESCO-listed monument of almost incomprehensible decorative complexity hewn from the living rock of Anatolia.

  • Visit the Sivas Congress Building – Walk through the historic rooms where Atatürk forged the national resistance movement in 1919, a building of immense significance in the story of modern Türkiye, now beautifully preserved as a museum.

  • Soak with the Fish at Kangal – Lower yourself into the warm mineral waters of the world-famous Kangal thermal spring and let the celebrated Garra rufa fish do their therapeutic work in one of the most unusual and memorable spa experiences in all of Türkiye.

  • Explore Sivas's Seljuk Medreses – Spend a morning in the historic city centre moving between the great Seljuk monuments — the Çifte Minareli, Gök, and Buruciye Medreses — whose carved stone façades represent the golden age of medieval Anatolian architecture.

  • Discover Gökpınar Lake – Drive to the crystalline turquoise lake of Gökpınar near Gürün, one of central Türkiye's most beautiful and least crowded natural wonders, fed by underground springs of remarkable purity.

  • Trek the Şuğul Valley – Explore the dramatic canyon and valley of Şuğul, one of Sivas's finest natural landscapes, with forested gorge walls, a rushing river, and walking trails that wind through some of the province's wildest and most rewarding terrain.

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