7 places to visit in the Turhal district of Tokat: Turhal Sugar Factory (Turhal Şeker Fabrikası), Turhal Castle (Turhal Kalesi) and Yeşilırmak Banks (Yeşilırmak Kıyıları). Plan your trip to Turhal with local food, practical tips and transport information.
Turhal is a district 46 km from Tokat provincial centre. According to the 2024 ADNKS records published in February 2021, the district centre has a population of 61,621, and 78,827 including its villages. Turhal is the second-largest district of Tokat after Erbaa, both in terms of the district centre and total population including villages.
Founded in the Yeşilırmak basin, Turhal lies where the roads linking Central Anatolia to the Black Sea and Eastern Anatolia to the west cross. In the early years of the Republic it was a small settlement, but it became a district in 1944 and, owing to its location and economic structure, has become one of Türkiye’s most dynamic settlements. In antiquity Turhal was known by names such as Pontus Galatikus, Ustus Polemoniakus and Komona Pontiki, and its history is understood to reach back thousands of years. The discovery of two inscriptions written in Sumerian script, dating to around 3000 BC, at Turhal Castle indicates that Turhal’s history goes back 5,000 years. It was first taken by the Ottomans in 1399, and after the Battle of Ankara it was definitively incorporated into Ottoman lands in 1413.
The foundation of the Turhal Sugar Factory was laid in 1933 by Industry Minister Celal Bayar, and the factory was opened in 1934 by İsmet İnönü. Investments such as the Turhal Machine Factory, and in recent years the earth products industry, clothing manufacturing and antimony mining, have brought new life to the region.
Turhal’s area is 940 km², and the average altitude of the district centre above sea level is 536 metres. Located in the Yeşilırmak valley, Turhal sits on a plain 3 km wide and 9 km long, surrounded by mountains and high hills. The Yeşilırmak, one of Türkiye’s longest rivers, passes through the centre of Turhal.
Turhal was known in antiquity by names such as Pontus Galatikus, Ustus Polemoniakus and Komona Pontiki. Two inscriptions written in Sumerian script, found at Turhal Castle, show that Turhal goes back 5,000 years. Gaziura was made the capital by Ariaretes, who was of Persian origin. It was first taken by the Ottomans in 1399 and definitively became Ottoman territory in 1413. In 1944 Turhal gained district status. Turhal lost hundreds of martyrs in the War of Independence. The foundation of the Sugar Factory was laid in 1933 by Celal Bayar, and it was opened in 1934 by İsmet İnönü.
In earlier times a hill in Turhal, which belonged to the daughter of a Greek bey named Varvara, became known as ‘Varvara Hill’, and water still flows from it. Celal, who inspired the Celali Rebellions and gave them their name, was from Turhal.
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Founded in 1934 as one of the first industrial investments of the Republic, the Turhal Sugar Factory is one of Türkiye's oldest sugar factories. The factory building is an important example of early Republican industrial architecture.
View on mapThe castle on the hill north of the district centre contains remains from the Roman and Byzantine periods. From the castle, which was repaired in the Seljuk period, the view over the Turhal plain and the Yeşilırmak valley can be enjoyed.
View on mapThe Yeşilırmak flowing through Turhal, with its walking routes and picnic areas along its banks, is a place of rest for city residents. The green belt stretching along the river offers a route for nature walks.
View on mapThe Yeşilırmak, one of Türkiye's longest rivers, passes through the centre of Turhal. The river canyons and their surroundings are an important area for nature tourism.
View on mapThe Turhal Plain, located in the Yeşilırmak valley, is surrounded by mountains and high hills. Agriculture and livestock farming are carried out on the plain.
View on mapDuring the Armistice and National Struggle years, Turhal lost hundreds of martyrs in the War of Independence under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal. The district preserves the historical heritage of this period.
View on mapIn antiquity Turhal was known by names such as Pontus Galatikus, Ustus Polemoniakus and Komona Pontiki, and it remained an important settlement centre for thousands of years.
View on mapWhile you are in Turhal, you can also see the highlights of Tokat province. These places are in other districts; Turhal is about 46 km from the provincial centre.
Prepared by threading lamb, potato, aubergine and tomato slices on skewers and cooking them over a wood fire. Also widely eaten in Turhal, this dish is Tokat's geographically indicated food.
A traditional börek made by placing minced meat or cheese between thin-rolled yufka sheets and cooking them on a griddle. An indispensable flavour of Turhal's breakfast tables.
The Turhal Sugar Factory, founded in 1934, is one of the symbols of Atatürk's industrialisation policy. The factory has shaped Turhal's economic and social structure and is an inseparable part of the town's identity.
Turhal's economy is based on agriculture and industry. Sugar beet production and the Turhal Sugar Factory form the foundation of the district's economy. Wheat, sunflower and walnut are other important agricultural products. Food processing and small-scale industrial facilities also operate in the district.
Turhal is 46 km from Tokat provincial centre and lies on the Amasya–Tokat road. A railway connection exists on the Samsun–Sivas line. Intercity bus services provide connections to large cities.
7 prominent places in Turhal: Turhal Sugar Factory, Turhal Castle, Yeşilırmak Banks, Yeşilırmak River, Turhal Plain, War of Independence Monument and Martyrs' Cemetery, and Ancient Turhal Cities (Pontus Galatikus, Komona Pontiki).
Tokat Kebabı and Bat Böreği are the standout flavours on Turhal's tables.
Turhal is known for Turhal Yoğurtmacı and its Republican Period Industrial Heritage. It is a product registered with TÜRKPATENT as a protected geographical indication.
Turhal is 46 km from Tokat provincial centre and lies on the Amasya–Tokat road. A railway connection exists on the Samsun–Sivas line. Intercity bus services provide connections to large cities.
Suggested visit length: 1 day. Best time to visit: spring and autumn (April–June, September–October).