Photo: Kadı Kadı (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Source 7 places to visit in the central district of Eskişehir: Eskişehir Castle, Eti Archaeology Museum and Lüle Taşı Workshops. Plan your trip with local food, practical tips and transport information.
Eskişehir was founded on a wide plain in north-western Central Anatolia, which is divided in two by the Porsuk River. The origins of the city lie in the ancient Dorylaion at Şarhöyük, north-east of today’s city.
From the 12th century BC onwards, the region became the heartland of the Phrygian civilisation. Known as Sultanönü during the Seljuk period, the area was the scene of battles with the Crusader armies. Karacahisar Castle was one of the first fortresses taken by Osman Bey. From the Ottoman period survive the Kurşunlu Complex (1525) and the bay-windowed houses of Odunpazarı.
The arrival of the Anatolian railway in 1894 turned the city into a junction and industrial centre. Three of the five great battles of the War of Independence, the Battles of İnönü and Kütahya–Eskişehir, took place on Eskişehir’s territory. Today Eskişehir has a large student population, gondola and boat tours along the Porsuk, a tram network and a lively café culture.
The world’s finest lületaşı (meerschaum) deposits are found in Eskişehir. When extracted, lületaşı is soft and easily carved, and the craftsmen of Eskişehir are known to make the most valuable meerschaum pipes in the world.
In 2013, Eskişehir held the titles of Turkic World Culture Capital and UNESCO Capital of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Odunpazarı hosted four hundred years of the Mevlevi order. The Odunpazarı Historic City Centre was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List in 2012. The city’s name is thought to have been given to the ruins of Dorylaion.
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Located in the city centre, Eskişehir Castle has held strategic importance since ancient times. The castle, which bears the traces of different civilisations, offers an impressive view along with the panorama of the city.
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Photo: Kadı Kadı (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Source A museum displaying finds from archaeological excavations in Eskişehir and its surroundings, with a rich collection from the Phrygian, Roman and Byzantine periods.
View on mapWorkshops where the lüle taşı (meerschaum) craftsmanship specific to Eskişehir is practised, offering visitors the chance to observe the whole process from extraction of the stone to its shaping.
View on mapA historic quarter in Odunpazarı district, established on the hills south of the city.
View on mapA historic mosque in Odunpazarı that stands in harmony with its traditional architecture.
View on mapMinced meat filling wrapped in thin dough and fried in hot oil, çibörek is the best-known street food of Eskişehir.
Doner meat poured over pide bread with buttered tomato sauce and yoghurt, balaban kebabı is a dish specific to Eskişehir. Prepared by local people on special occasions, it is a symbol of hospitality.
Met helvası, made from starch, sugar and butter, is one of Eskişehir's traditional sweets. Its preparation with fresh, natural ingredients makes it a healthy choice.
The ancient name of Eskişehir is Dorylaeum. An important settlement centre in the Roman and Byzantine periods, the city was the scene of the Battle of Dorylaeum during the First Crusade in 1097.
Eskişehir has the finest lüle taşı deposits in the world. Lüle taşı craftsmanship, practised for centuries, is an inseparable part of the city's cultural identity.
Eskişehir Merkez is the administrative and commercial heart of the province. The main economic activities are industry (aviation, defence, ceramics), education and the service sector. Lüle taşı mining and craftsmanship is a traditional sector.
Eskişehir is 233 km from Ankara and 330 km from Istanbul. Istanbul can be reached in 2.5 hours by high-speed train (YHT) and Ankara in 1.5 hours. Eskişehir Hasan Polatkan Airport is close to the city.
Seven highlights in Eskişehir Merkez: Eskişehir Castle, Eti Archaeology Museum, Lüle Taşı Workshops, Odunpazarı Historic City Centre, Lületaşı Museum, Kurşunlu Mosque and Complex and Porsuk River.
Çibörek, Balaban Kebabı and Met Helvası are the signature flavours on Eskişehir Merkez's tables.
Eskişehir Merkez is known for Lüle Taşı and the Ancient Dorylaeum Legacy. The white mineral specific to Eskişehir, lüle taşı, has its finest deposits in this region.
Eskişehir is 233 km from Ankara and 330 km from Istanbul. Istanbul can be reached in 2.5 hours by high-speed train (YHT) and Ankara in 1.5 hours. Eskişehir Hasan Polatkan Airport is close to the city.