Things to Do in Köprüköy: 5 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Köprüköy

• 2 Historic
• 1 Religious
• 2 Nature

i Photo: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · Source

1 🏛️ Historic

Çobandede Bridge

The historic bridge that gives the district its name, on the E-80 highway beside the Aras River.

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2 🌳 Nature

Aras River Valley

Köprüköy district lies on the banks of the Aras River, and the river valley is an important geographic feature of the region.

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3 🏛️ Historic

Köprüköy Castle

A castle on a hill overlooking the district centre, used by various civilisations from the Urartian period onwards. Its walls and towers reflect the strategic importance of the region.

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4 🕌 Religious

Köprüköy Grand Mosque

Grand Mosque in the district centre, built in the Ottoman period and notable for its traditional stone architecture. With its thick stone walls and lead-covered dome, it is one of the sturdiest structures in the region.

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5 🌳 Nature

Deli Çermik

A place north of the district known as a mud spa, which serves as a picnic area in summer.

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

• Çifte Minareli Madrasa — The symbol of the city, a two-storey Seljuk madrasa with an open courtyard, built in the mid-13th century.
• Yakutiye Madrasa — Built in 1310 by Hoca Cemalettin Yakut during the reign of the Ilkhanid ruler Öljeitü, this is the largest madrasa with a covered courtyard in Anatolia.
• Erzurum Grand Mosque — Built in 1179 under the Saltukid ruler Melik Nasirüddin Muhammed, this is the oldest and largest mosque in the city, also known as the Atabey Mosque.
• Three Tombs (Üç Kümbetler) — Three monumental tombs south of the Çifte Minareli Madrasa, dating from the 12th to 14th centuries.
• Erzurum Castle and Clock Tower — The inner citadel on the highest point of the city, founded in the Byzantine period and repaired under the Saltukids and the Ottomans.
• Lala Mustafa Paşa Mosque — A classical Ottoman mosque attributed to Mimar Sinan, built in 1562–1563 for Lala Mustafa Paşa, the beylerbey of Erzurum.

Practical Information for Visiting Köprüköy

Suggested time

Half a day

Best time to visit

Spring and summer months (May–September)

Places to visit

5 places

• 🍖

  Cağ Kebabı (horizontal spit-roasted lamb)

  Cağ kebabı is prepared by roasting lamb on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. In Köprüköy, it has a special flavour from the sheep grazed on the district's pastures.

• 🥣

  Ayran Aşı (yoghurt and wheat soup)

  Traditional soup made with yoghurt, cracked wheat and mint, a nourishing dish that never goes missing from tables during Köprüköy's cold winter days.

• 🍮

  Kadayıf Dolması (walnut-filled kadayıf)

  Traditional dessert made by wrapping walnuts in thin kadayıf dough, then baking and soaking it in syrup. It is an essential of festival tables in Köprüköy.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Köprüköy

• 🌉

  Seljuk Bridge Heritage

  Köprüköy takes its name from the Çobandede Bridge, built in the 13th century in the Seljuk period. This bridge was a strategic structure used to cross the Aras River on the Silk Road route.

• 🏛️

  Settlement History of the Aras Basin

  Because Köprüköy lies in the Aras River basin, it has been settled since ancient times. Remains from the Urartian, Roman, Byzantine and Seljuk periods are found in the area.

Local Products

• Köprüköy Honey — Flower honey gathered on the district's plateaus. The rich flora gives it an aromatic and natural character.
• Civil Peyniri (civil cheese) — Civil cheese made from fresh milk and separated into fine strands, produced in Köprüköy by traditional methods.

Economy

The economy of Köprüköy rests on livestock farming and agriculture. Wheat, barley and fodder crops are grown on the fertile soils of the Aras River basin. Cattle and sheep farming are the main sources of income.

How to Get to Köprüköy

Köprüköy is about 50 km from Erzurum city centre. It is located on the Erzurum–Kars road. The nearest airport is Erzurum Airport. The district can be reached by minibus and bus services.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Erzurum

Köprüköy: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Köprüköy Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Erzurum The province's 20 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Erzurum

• Aşkale 4 places Karasu Valley, Aşkale Castle and Aşkale Hot Springs
• Aziziye 5 places Aziziye Redoubts, Ilıca Hot Springs and Nene Hatun Monument
• Çat 4 places Çat Dam and Lake, Çat Castle and Çat Plateaus
• Hınıs 4 places Hınıs Castle, Hınıs Plain and Hınıs Grand Mosque
• Horasan 5 places Horasan Castle, Aras River Valley and Horasan Grand Mosque
• İspir 5 places Çoruh Valley, İspir Castle and İspir Yedigöller (Seven Lakes)
• Karaçoban 7 places Karaçoban Castle, Foothills of the Bingöl Mountains and Karaçoban Plateaus
• Karayazı 4 places Aras River Banks, Köyceğiz Reservoir and Çakmak Mountain
• Narman 5 places Narman Fairy Chimneys, Narman Five Lakes and Red Hills (Rainbow Hills)
• Oltu 8 places Oltu Castle, Oltu Taşı Mines and Gökkaya (Rainbow) Hills
• Olur 5 places Olur Castle, Çakoş Plateau and Olur Waterfall
• Palandöken 4 places Palandöken Ski Centre, Ejder 3200 Ski Centre and Atatürk House Museum
• Pasinler 5 places Pasinler (Hasankale) Castle, Pasinler Hot Springs and Pasinler Plain
• Pazaryolu 4 places Medieval castle ruins, Pazaryolu plateaus and Norgah Castle
• Şenkaya 5 places Şenkaya Castle, Bardız Stream Valley and Şenkaya Plateaus
• Tekman 9 places Tekman Castle, Tekman Plain and Tekman Plateaus
• Tortum 5 places Hahuli Monastery, Tortum Waterfall and Tortum Lake
• Uzundere 7 places Tortum Waterfall, Tortum Lake and Öşkvank (Öşk Vank) Kilisesi
• Yakutiye 6 places Yakutiye Madrasa, Çifte Minareli Madrasa and Erzurum Castle and Clock Tower