Çerkeş Castle Ruins
Byzantine-period castle ruins on the hill above the district centre. The castle, also used in the Seljuk and Ottoman periods, offers views of the surroundings.
View on map9 places to visit in the Çerkeş district of Çankırı: Çal Plateau, Derviş Tepe and Çerkeş Castle Ruins. Plan your trip to Çerkeş with local food, practical tips and transport information.
Çerkeş, the district centre of Çankırı province, was founded on the plain where the Ulusu Stream flows to the south. The Çerkeş district lies at an elevation of 1,131 metres above sea level.
Geographical Location
The district is surrounded by Ovacık to the north, Bayramören to the north-east, Atkaracalar to the east, the Orta districts to the south-east, Bolu and Karabük to the west, and Ankara province to the south. Among the district’s main mountains, Işık Mountain, at 2,015 metres, lies to the south, and Karataş and Kütüklü mountains, at 1,875 metres, lie to the south-west. The district centre is 85 km from the provincial centre of Çankırı and 128 km from Ankara.
Etymology
There are two accounts of the district’s name: one is the name ‘Ciharköşe’, from the fact that it lay at a junction of four roads because of the fertility of the Ulusu Stream; the other is ‘Çeriçeken’, meaning the place where soldiers gathered.
Climate
Çerkeş has the climatic characteristics of both regions, as it lies at the southern edge of the Western Black Sea region and the northern edge of the Central Anatolia region, and a continental climate prevails.
Economy
The main livelihoods of the district’s people are crop production and livestock farming. Beekeeping is very well developed in the district, and Çerkeş honey is preferred across Türkiye for its distinctive qualities.
History and Culture
Çerkeş became a district in 1860. It is said that the district was called Ciharköşe because it lies at a junction of four roads. Çerkeş lies in an earthquake zone, and has been affected by earthquakes that have caused heavy damage in the past.
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