Things to Do in Ulukışla: 7 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Ulukışla

• 3 Historic
• 1 Ancient City
• 3 Nature

i Photo: Zeynel Cebeci (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source

1 🌳 Nature

Bolkar Mountains

An important mountain range of the Central Taurus. It has all the characteristics of the Taurus and contains countless glacial lakes, caves and canyons.

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2 🌳 Nature

Çiftehan Hot Springs

Hot springs in the Ulukışla area.

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3 🏛️ Historic

Ulukışla Railway Station

Built in 1912 on the Baghdad Railway line, the station is a fine example of Ottoman-era railway architecture. The historic building and platforms are still in use.

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4 🏛️ Historic

Gülek Pass (Cilician Gates)

A historic pass across the Taurus Mountains, the most important link between Anatolia and the Mediterranean since ancient times. Alexander the Great passed through this pass, and its strategic importance has made it the scene of many battles throughout history.

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5 🏛️ Historic

Öküz Mehmet Paşa Complex (Grand Vizier Mehmet Paşa Caravanserai)

A complex with a single-domed mosque, an arasta (market street), 23 shops and a hammam, known as a caravanserai.

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6 🏺 Ancient City

Porsuk Höyük (Zeyve Höyük)

A höyük within the boundaries of Porsuk village, 9 km from Ulukışla district.

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7 🌳 Nature

Karagöl Lake

A crater lake in the Bolkar Mountains, covering about 60 hectares, with its deepest point at around 12 m.

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

• Gümüşler Monastery — In the town of Gümüşler, 10 km north-east of Niğde, one of the largest rock monasteries of Cappadocia, carved into a great mass of tuff; with its central courtyard, church and well-preserved 10th-century Byzantine frescoes, it was declared a protected site in 1973.
• Alaeddin Mosque — A Seljuk mosque inside Niğde Castle, built in 1223 by Zeyneddin Beşare Bey for Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I; with its richly carved portal and its mihrab, it is the symbol of the city.
• Ak Madrasa — A two-storey madrasa built in 1409–1410 during the reign of the Karamanid Sultan Alaeddin Ali Bey II, known for its white stone and richly decorated portal; today it is used as a museum.
• Hüdavent Hatun Tomb — An octagonal tomb built in 1312 for Hüdavent Hatun, daughter of the Seljuk Sultan Rükneddin Kılıçarslan IV; it is regarded as one of the most elegant tombs in Anatolia.
• Niğde Castle — A castle on the hill where old Niğde was founded, thought to have foundations from very ancient times and repaired in the Seljuk period; the Alaeddin Mosque stands inside it.
• Tyana (Kemerhisar) — An ancient city at Kemerhisar, in the district of Bor, whose Hittite name was Tuwanuwa; Roman-era aqueducts and the remains of a pool are still standing.

Practical Information for Visiting Ulukışla

Suggested time

1 day

Best time to visit

Summer months (mountaineering), spring-autumn

Places to visit

7 places

• 🍖

  Ulukışla Tandır Eti (tandır-baked lamb)

  Prepared by slowly baking lamb in a clay tandır oven for hours. It is a traditional dish of the mountain villages. The meat takes on a unique aroma as it absorbs the earthy smell of the tandır.

• 🥣

  Tarhana Çorbası (dried yoghurt and wheat soup)

  A soup made from tarhana, which is yoghurt, tomato and wheat flour dried together. It is essential to winter tables.

• 🥣

  Keşkek (wheat and lamb porridge)

  Prepared by boiling cracked wheat and lamb for a long time until it becomes a porridge. Keşkek is an essential dish at weddings and is prepared in a communal spirit.

• 🍽️

  Kiraz (Darboğaz) (Darboğaz cherries)

  Cherries grown in Ulukışla have been promoted for 16 years through a cherry festival organised by the district governorship in Darboğaz village.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Ulukışla

• 🏛️

  History of the Cilician Gates

  Gülek Pass is a strategic passage crossed by many armies, from Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC to the Crusades. This historical importance forms the basis of Ulukışla's cultural identity.

• 🚂

  Railway Heritage

  The Baghdad Railway crosses the Taurus at Ulukışla. The tunnels and viaducts built at the start of the 20th century are considered engineering marvels.

Local Products

• Ulukışla Apple — Apples grown at high altitude, known for their firm texture and long shelf life.
• Bolkar Mountain Honey (Bolkar Dağı Balı) — Flower honey gathered from the high pastures of the Bolkar Mountains, obtained from the nectar of endemic plants.

Economy

Ulukışla's economy is based on agriculture, livestock farming and mining. Apple, potato and grain growing are the main farming activities. Chrome and iron mining also contribute to the economy. Rail transport gives the district a logistics advantage.

How to Get to Ulukışla

Ulukışla is 50 km from Niğde and 130 km from Adana. Adana Airport is 130 km away. The railway station is on the Ankara-Adana line.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Niğde

Ulukışla: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Ulukışla Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Niğde The province's 10 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Niğde

• Niğde Central District 5 places Niğde Castle, Alaeddin Mosque and Niğde Museum
• Altunhisar
• Bor 9 places Tyana (Kemerhisar) Ancient City, Bor Castle and Bor Grand Mosque
• Çamardı 7 places Aladağlar National Park, Kapuzbaşı Waterfalls and Demirkazık Mountain
• Çiftlik 5 places Mount Hasan (Hasan Dağı), Çiftlik Plain and Çiftlik Historic Mosque