Things to Do in Narman: 5 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Narman

• 1 Historic
• 4 Nature

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

1 🌳 Nature

Narman Fairy Chimneys

One of the district's most important natural wonders, the fairy chimneys.

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2 🌳 Nature

Narman Five Lakes

A significant natural formation created by the five lakes in the district.

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3 🌳 Nature

Red Hills (Rainbow Hills)

Iron-oxide-rich soil layers around Narman form coloured hills in red, orange and yellow tones. The colours, which come alive especially after rain, attract international interest in the region.

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4 🏛️ Historic

Narman Castle

A castle on a hill overlooking the district centre; its surviving Seljuk-period walls reflect the strategic importance of the region. From the castle ruins, there are panoramic views of the Narman plain and the surrounding coloured hills.

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5 🌳 Nature

Narman Waterfall

A waterfall near the district, whose water cascading over rocks is at its most spectacular in spring, when the snow melts. Its green surroundings make it an ideal spot for picnics and walks.

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While you are in Narman, you can also see the highlights of Erzurum province. These places are in other districts; Narman is about 90 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 Narman

Suggested time

1 day

Best time to visit

Spring and summer (May–September)

Places to visit

5 places

• 🍖

  Cağ Kebabı (horizontal spit kebab)

  Lamb roasted on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. It has a special flavour from the meat of sheep raised on Narman's highland pastures.

• 🥣

  Ayran Aşı (yoghurt and wheat soup)

  A traditional soup made with yoghurt, bulgur and mint; a nourishing dish that is never absent from tables on cold winter days in Narman.

• 🍮

  Kadayıf Dolması (walnut-filled kadayıf)

  A traditional dessert of fine kadayıf dough wrapped around walnuts, baked and soaked in syrup. In Narman it is an indispensable part of festival and wedding tables.

• 🍽️

  Narman Şeker Fasulyesi (sugar beans)

  A local product registered as a protected designation of origin.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Narman

• 🏔️

  Geological Heritage

  Narman, with its fairy chimneys, some 3 million years old, and coloured hills, is one of Türkiye's most important geological heritage sites. These natural formations are living witnesses to the region's volcanic and sedimentary past.

• 🏛️

  Multicultural Past

  Throughout history, Narman was under Arab, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman control, and briefly under Russian control. After the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, it briefly came under Armenian control, and in 1918 it was incorporated into Ottoman territory.

Local Products

• Narman Şeker Fasulyesi (sugar beans) — Narman Şeker Fasulyesi (sugar beans) was registered as a protected designation of origin on 20 July 2020 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 506). Product group: processed and unprocessed fruit and vegetables and mushrooms. Registered by: Eastern Anatolia Agricultural Research Institute.
• Narman Honey — Flower honey gathered on the high pastures of the district; thanks to its rich flora, it is an aromatic and natural variety of honey.
• Civil Cheese — Civil cheese, made from fresh milk and separated into fine strands, is produced in Narman by traditional methods.

Economy

Narman's economy rests on livestock farming and agriculture. Small-livestock farming and beekeeping are the main livelihoods. Wheat and barley are grown. Nature tourism is developing thanks to the fairy chimneys and coloured hills.

How to Get to Narman

Narman is about 90 km from Erzurum city centre. Access is by 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

Narman: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Narman 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
• Köprüköy 5 places Çobandede Bridge, Aras River Valley and Köprüköy Castle
• 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