Things to Do in Akyaka: 4 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Akyaka

• 1 Historic
• 2 Nature
• 1 Other

While you are in Akyaka, you can also see the highlights of Kars province. These places are in other districts.

• Ani Ruins — A medieval city on the banks of the Arpaçay, 45 km east of Kars, the capital of the Bagratid kings from 961 to 1045; with its cathedral known for the "thousand and one churches", the churches of Tigran Honents and St Prkiç, its walls and the Lion Gate, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016.
• Ebu'l Menüçehr Mosque (Ani) — A building at Ani that is thought to have been commissioned by the Shaddadid ruler Ebu'l Menüçehr after the conquest of 1064 and is regarded as the first Turkish mosque in Anatolia; its octagonal minaret looks out over the Arpaçay valley.
• Kars Castle — According to its inscription, a castle built in 1152 on the order of the Saltukid Sultan Melik İzzeddin, destroyed by Timur in 1386 and rebuilt by Lala Mustafa Paşa in 1579; it offers the widest view of the city and the plain.
• Church of the Apostles (Kümbet Mosque) — A church built in the 10th century under the Bagratid King Abbas I, with reliefs of the twelve apostles on its drum; it was converted into a mosque after 1064, used as a church again in the Russian period, and today serves as the Kümbet Mosque.
• Fethiye Mosque — A building of dark and light tuff, built in the late 19th century in the Russian period as the Alexander Nevsky Church; it was converted into a mosque after the War of Independence.
• Kars Museum — A museum founded in 1959 and moved to its present building in 1981; it displays finds from Ani, Urartian and Bronze Age works, an ethnography collection and Kars carpets.

Practical Information for Visiting Akyaka

Suggested time

Half a day

Best time to visit

Summer months

Places to visit

4 places

• 🧀

  Kars Kaşarı

  Kaşar cheese made from the milk of animals grazing on Akyaka's plateaus, one of the finer varieties of Kars kaşarı.

• 🥟

  Hangel

  A type of mantı specific to Kars, made by boiling large pieces of dough filled with minced meat.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Akyaka

• 🐄

  Plateau Livestock Culture

  Akyaka is a district with a strong livestock culture, thanks to its high-altitude plateaus. Dairy production forms the basis of traditional life.

Local Products

• Akyaka Kaşarı — Kaşar cheese produced on Akyaka's high plateaus, made using natural and traditional methods.

Economy

Akyaka's economy rests on livestock farming and agriculture. Dairy production is the main source of income.

How to Get to Akyaka

Akyaka is 70 km from Kars. Minibus services run from Kars.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Kars

Akyaka: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Akyaka Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Kars The province's 11 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Kars

• Kars Central District 9 places Kars Castle, Church of the Apostles and Fethiye Mosque
• Arpaçay 5 places Arpaçay River Valley, Ani Ruins (nearby) and Arpaçay Castle
• Digor 4 places Digor Valley, Digor Castle and Digor Historic Bridge
• Kağızman 8 places Aras River Valley, Keçivan Castle and Narin Castle
• Sarıkamış 6 places Sarıkamış Ski Resort, Sarıkamış Forests and Tsar Nicholas Pavilion
• Selim 4 places Selim Caravanserai, Selim Castle and Selim Plateaus
• Susuz 3 places Susuz Castle, Susuz Plateaus and Aygır Lake