Things to Do in Şabanözü: 6 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Şabanözü

• 1 Religious
• 4 Nature
• 1 Other

While you are in Şabanözü, you can also see the highlights of Çankırı province. These places are in other districts; Şabanözü is about 25 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 Şabanözü

Suggested time

Half a day

Best time to visit

Spring and summer

Places to visit

6 places

• 🍽️

  Şabanözü Dondurma Helvası (Şabanözü ice cream halva)

  Şabanözü Dondurma Helvası was registered as a protected geographical indication on 28 August 2024 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1634). Product group: bakery and confectionery products, pastries, sweets. Registered by: Şabanözü Municipality.

• 🍲

  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. As an essential part of the district's gastronomic identity, this dish is a favourite with visitors.

• 🍲

  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. Small differences in each village's keşkek recipe add to the richness of the dish.

• 🫓

  Gözleme

  Filled with cheese, spinach or potato on dough sheets and cooked on a griddle. It is an essential flavour of village breakfasts. Rolling the dough thinly takes skill and is perfected in experienced hands.

• 🍽️

  Green beans

  Green beans, famous in the district.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Şabanözü

• 🏡

  Traditional village life

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

• 🐑

  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

• Şabanözü Bazlaması (Şabanözü griddle-baked flatbread) — Şabanözü Bazlaması was registered as a protected geographical indication on 22 December 2021 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 981). Product group: bakery and confectionery products, pastries, sweets. Registered by: Şabanözü Municipality.
• Şabanözü Cızlaması (Şabanözü flatbread) — Şabanözü Cızlaması was registered as a protected geographical indication on 19 December 2022 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1296). Product group: bakery and confectionery products, pastries, sweets. Registered by: Şabanözü Municipality.

Economy

The economy of Şabanözü is based on agriculture and livestock farming. Wheat, barley and pulses are the main agricultural products. Small and large livestock farming is widespread. Thermal springs have potential for health tourism.

How to Get to Şabanözü

Şabanözü is 25 km from Çankırı provincial centre. There are regular minibus services from Çankırı.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Çankırı

Şabanözü: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Şabanözü 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
• Orta 7 places Devrez Stream, Orta Çarşı Mosque and Devrez Stream Bank
• Yapraklı 6 places Yapraklı Forests, Yapraklı Çarşı Mosque and Yapraklı Yaylaları (Yapraklı highland plateaux)