Getting to Know Bingöl
Bingöl lies in the Upper Euphrates part of Eastern Anatolia, between the basins of the Murat River and the Peri Suyu, and is surrounded by forested mountains. The city’s former name was Çapakçur; Evliya Çelebi links this name to the legend that Alexander the Great found the “water of paradise” here. The province was established by a law of 7 December 1935 (published in the Official Gazette on 4 January 1936) with Çapakçur as its centre; the centre was renamed Bingöl in 1945.
The name Bingöl means “thousand lakes” and comes from the Bingöl Mountains in the north-east of the province: on the glacier-shaped plateaus of this extinct shield volcano, which rises to 3,193 metres, there are at least 72 lakes large enough to be marked on a map, and countless small ones. One third of the mountain lies in Bingöl, and the rest in Muş and Erzurum.
The province’s historic monuments include Kiğı Castle on Görgeç Tepe at Kiğı and the Piltan (Balaban Bey) Mosque of 1402, the Kralkızı and Seberitas castles at Genç, and the Aq Qoyunlu-era İsfahan Bey Mosque in the city centre.
When to Go
In Bingöl summers are hot and dry, winters cold, snowy and wet. Averages for 1961–2025 from the Turkish State Meteorological Service:
| Month |
Avg. high |
Avg. low |
Rainfall |
Rainy days |
| January |
2.5 °C |
−5.7 °C |
137 mm |
13 |
| February |
4.0 °C |
−4.8 °C |
127 mm |
12 |
| March |
9.7 °C |
0.0 °C |
134 mm |
14 |
| April |
16.9 °C |
5.9 °C |
116 mm |
15 |
| May |
22.9 °C |
10.2 °C |
78 mm |
14 |
| June |
29.5 °C |
14.8 °C |
20 mm |
5 |
| July |
34.6 °C |
19.1 °C |
7 mm |
2 |
| August |
34.8 °C |
18.7 °C |
4 mm |
1 |
| September |
29.8 °C |
13.7 °C |
13 mm |
2 |
| October |
21.7 °C |
8.3 °C |
64 mm |
8 |
| November |
12.7 °C |
2.3 °C |
107 mm |
9 |
| December |
5.4 °C |
−2.6 °C |
134 mm |
13 |
June to September is ideal for nature and the highland pastures, and December to March for skiing. Heavy snow falls in winter, and the ski season at Hesarek lasts 4–5 months. In summer the city centre is quite hot (the average high is 35 °C in July–August), while the highland pastures are cool.
How to Get to Bingöl
By air: Bingöl Airport, which opened in 2013, is 8 km from the city centre.
By road: Bingöl lies on the Elazığ–Muş highway; it connects to Elazığ in the west and to Muş via Solhan in the east. The Elazığ–Tatvan railway passes through the province’s Genç district.
Bingöl Area by Area
- Central district: the İsfahan Bey Mosque, the Kös hot springs 18 km north-east of the city, Hesarek Ski Resort 34 km away and the Buban fairy chimneys.
- Solhan: the Floating Islands Natural Monument and the southern slopes of the Bingöl Mountains.
- Kiğı: Kiğı Castle on Görgeç Tepe and the Piltan (Balaban Bey) Mosque.
- Genç: the Kralkızı and Seberitas castles and the registered Sivan mulberry molasses.
- Yedisu and Karlıova: high highland pastures and the registered Yedisu horoz dried beans.
Suggested Itineraries
Day 1 – The Floating Islands and the centre: In the morning go to Solhan and see the islands floating on the lake like rafts at the Floating Islands; on the way back stop at the Kös hot springs, and in the evening try Bingöl burma kadayıfı in the city centre.
Day 2 – Mountains and history: Skiing at Hesarek in winter; in summer the Buban fairy chimneys, and the castle and Piltan Mosque at Kiğı.
Bingöl Cuisine
Bingöl’s registered geographical indications are Bingöl honey (Bingöl balı) with a protected designation of origin, Bingöl burma kadayıfı, Bingöl çobantaşı kavurması, Guldar tomatoes (Guldar domatesi) with a protected designation of origin, Sivan mulberry molasses (Sivan dut pekmezi) and Yedisu horoz dried beans (Yedisu horoz kuru fasulyesi) with a protected designation of origin. The carpet of flowers on the high highland pastures makes Bingöl honey the province’s best-known product.
Practical Tips
- Bingöl lies in an earthquake zone; the city suffered major earthquakes in 1971 and 2003.
- Walking on the islands of the Floating Islands may be restricted for conservation purposes; follow local warnings.
- In winter the Solhan and Karlıova roads may close because of snow; check road conditions before setting out.
