Photo: Steven Isaacson from Somerville, MA, USA (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source 8 places to visit in the central district of Bayburt: Bayburt Castle, Çoruh Valley and Baksı Museum. Plan your trip with local food, practical tips and transport information.
Bayburt was founded in the high valley where the Çoruh River rises, on a branch of the historic Silk Road linking Erzurum and Trabzon. One of the first places in Anatolia taken by the Turks after Malazgirt, Bayburt became a province on 21 June 1989.
Every year in the third week of July, Bayburt hosts the international Dede Korkut Culture and Arts Festival. A lament written by Bayburtlu Zihni, one of the great folk poets of the 19th century, on the Russian occupation of 1828 is still sung as a folk song.
Bayburt is a city with a high (around 1,550 m) continental climate: winters are long and very cold, and summers are short and mild.
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Photo: Steven Isaacson from Somerville, MA, USA (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source Bayburt Castle, on a rocky hill on the bank of the Çoruh River, is the city's most important historic building. Its foundations were laid in the Urartian period, and it was extended in the Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. There are wide views of the city and the surrounding pastures from the castle.
View on mapBuilt in the 14th century in the Ilkhanid period, the madrasa shows influences of Seljuk architecture. Notable for its stonework and geometric decoration, it is one of Bayburt's most important Islamic monuments.
View on mapThe underground city in Aydıntepe, 25 km from Bayburt, dates from the Roman period. Made up of tunnels, rooms and water channels carved into rock, it is one of the rare underground cities outside Cappadocia.
View on mapThe tower in the centre of Bayburt; its clock was set running on 29 October 1924.
View on mapThe Grand Mosque in Bayburt city centre is a Seljuk building that was originally built as a caravanserai.
View on mapThe Çoruh River, which flows through the middle of Bayburt, has formed a deep valley that adds natural beauty to the city. The walking paths along the valley and the green areas on the riverbank are ideal for relaxation.
View on mapThere are two waterfalls in Sırakayalar village, 16 km from Bayburt city centre.
View on mapBaksı Museum, founded by Prof. Dr. Hüsamettin Koçan in the village of Bayraktar in Bayburt, brings together contemporary art and traditional handicrafts. The museum won the Council of Europe Museum Prize in 2014 and has gained international recognition through its rural development and art education projects.
View on mapFinely minced lamb is kneaded with bulgur and spices and then boiled to make ehmedek köftesi, the best-known local dish of Bayburt. It is served with garlic yoghurt.
Prepared with dried meat, wheat and yoghurt, centrüm soup is one of the distinctive flavours of Bayburt cuisine. It is an essential dish of the winter months.
Prepared by wrapping fresh lor cheese in vine leaves and boiling them. Served with garlic yoghurt, lor dolması is one of Bayburt's distinctive flavours.
Bayburt is one of the places in which the Dede Korkut stories are set, and it has an important place in Turkish epic tradition. The Dede Korkut Festivals, held every year, keep this tradition alive.
Baksı Museum, which won the 2014 Council of Europe Museum Prize, brings contemporary art and traditional handicrafts together in a rural setting, placing Bayburt on the international art map.
Bayburt city centre's economy is based on agriculture, livestock farming and the public sector. Grain, pulses and vegetables are grown in the Çoruh valley. Cattle and sheep farming are important sources of income. Bayburt University contributes to the regional economy through its education and research activities. The Baksı Museum makes an important contribution to cultural tourism.
Bayburt is 180 km from Trabzon and 120 km from Erzurum. The nearest airport is Erzurum Airport (120 km). There are regular bus services from Trabzon and Erzurum. Bayburt lies on the Trabzon-Erzurum road.
The 8 highlights of Bayburt city centre are Bayburt Castle, Çoruh Valley, Baksı Museum, Yakutiye Madrasa, Aydıntepe Underground City, Sırakayalar Waterfalls, Bayburt Grand Mosque and Bayburt Clock Tower.
Bayburt Ehmedek Köftesi, Centrüm (Çentürüm) Çorbası and Lor Dolması are the standout dishes on Bayburt city centre tables.
Bayburt city centre is known for Bayburt Ehmedek Köftesi and the Dede Korkut tradition. Bayburt ehmedek köftesi, a product with a geographical indication, is the best-known gastronomic product of the region.
Bayburt is 180 km from Trabzon and 120 km from Erzurum. The nearest airport is Erzurum Airport (120 km). There are regular bus services from Trabzon and Erzurum. Bayburt lies on the Trabzon-Erzurum road.