Things to Do in Orta: 7 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Orta

• 2 Ancient City
• 1 Religious
• 4 Nature

While you are in Orta, you can also see the highlights of Çankırı province. These places are in other districts; Orta is about 50 km from the provincial centre.

• Çankırı Salt Cave — Galleries 6–8 metres high and 8 km long in total, cut into a rock-salt deposit thought to have been worked since the Hittites, in the village of Balıbağı about 20 km from the city centre; it is one of the largest salt reserves in Türkiye.
• Taş Mescit (Cemaleddin Ferruh Hospital) — A hospital (darüşşifa) built in 1235 by the atabey Cemaleddin Ferruh in the reign of Alâeddin Keykubad I. The relief of two intertwined dragons on its façade is used today as the symbol of medicine, and the figure of a snake coiled round a cup as the symbol of pharmacy.
• Sultan Süleyman (Grand) Mosque — A mosque of the age of Mimar Sinan, built by Sadık Kalfa on the order of Suleiman the Magnificent, begun in 1522 and completed in 1558. Covered by one large dome and four half-domes, and with a stone minbar, it is the largest mosque in the city.
• Çankırı Castle and Karatekin Tomb — The remains of a castle used from the Roman to the Ottoman period, on the hill north of the city; inside are a Roman-period rock tomb and the tomb of Emir Karatekin Bey, the conqueror of Çankırı.
• Çankırı Museum — A museum that has been housed since 2017 in the Old Government Building of 1905; finds from across the province are displayed in its archaeology, ethnography and palaeontology halls.
• Ilgaz Mountain National Park — A national park established in 1976 on the border of Çankırı and Kastamonu; its highest point is Büyük Hacet Hill at 2,587 metres.

Practical Information for Visiting Orta

Suggested time

Half a day

Best time to visit

Spring and summer

Places to visit

7 places

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  Banduma (bread soaked in broth and butter)

  Prepared by soaking stale bread in meat broth and butter. It is one of the traditional flavours of the Çankırı region. Prepared with seasonal ingredients, the dish offers a different flavour in every season.

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  Keşkek (pounded wheat and meat)

  Prepared by cooking cracked wheat and meat for a long time and then pounding them. It is the traditional dish of wedding and festival feasts. Listed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, keşkek is a source of pride in Turkish cuisine.

• 🫓

  Bazlama (griddle-baked flatbread)

  Thick bread baked on a griddle, it is the basic food of village breakfasts. It is eaten with fresh butter and honey. Prepared by local people on special occasions, this treat is a symbol of hospitality.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Orta

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  Traditional village life

  In the villages of Orta, communal work by turns (imece), shared threshing and wedding traditions are still kept alive.

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  Livestock culture

  Small livestock farming is the traditional livelihood of the local people. This cultural element, which strengthens social bonds, holds an important place in the social life of the region.

Local Products

• Wheat — Wheat grown on the Orta plain is the district's main agricultural product.
• Dairy products — Fresh milk, yoghurt and cheese are produced in the district, where livestock farming is widespread.

Economy

The economy of Orta is based on agriculture and livestock farming. Wheat, barley and pulses are the main agricultural products. Small and large livestock farming is widespread.

How to Get to Orta

Orta is 50 km from Çankırı provincial centre. There are regular minibus services from Çankırı.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Çankırı

Orta: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Orta Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Çankırı The province's 8 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Çankırı

• Çankırı Central District 7 places Çankırı Castle, Taş Mescit and Çankırı Museum
• Atkaracalar 5 places Dumanlı Mountain, Atkaracalar Çarşı Mosque and Devrez Çayı Valley
• Bayramören 2 places Bayramören Paragliding Site and Bayramören Forests
• Çerkeş 9 places Çal Plateau, Derviş Tepe and Çerkeş Castle Ruins
• Eldivan 9 places İldivan Mountain, Dümeli Mound and Eldivan Castle Ruins
• Ilgaz 6 places Ilgaz Mountains, Devrez Stream and Köroğlu Mountains
• Kızılırmak 4 places Mount Kursiyer, Kızılırmak Valley and Kızılırmak River
• Korgun 5 places Around Alpsarı Village, Around Ildızım Village and Roman-period cemeteries (Alpsarı and Ildızım)
• Kurşunlu 5 places Kurşunlu Thermal Baths, Kurşunlu Çarşı Mosque and Kurşunlu Castle Ruins
• Şabanözü 6 places Şabanözü Plateaus, Sanı Stream and Şabanözü Çarşı Mosque
• Yapraklı 6 places Yapraklı Forests, Yapraklı Çarşı Mosque and Yapraklı Yaylaları (Yapraklı highland plateaux)