Erzurum is Turkey's highest major city — a cold, stark plateau fortress at 1,890 metres that has been fought over by Byzantines, Seljuks, Mongols, Persians and Russians. Its three great Seljuk and Ilkhanid monuments — the Çifte Minareli Medrese, Yakutiye Medrese and Ulu Cami — are among the finest medieval stone buildings in Anatolia.
Palandöken, rising immediately above the city, is Turkey's most challenging ski resort — steep, reliably snowy slopes that hosted the 2011 Winter Universiade. In summer the same mountains are empty and magnificent.
Known for: Çifte Minareli Medrese · Palandöken ski resort · Yakutiye Medrese · Erzurum Citadel · Oltu stone jewellery
- Region
- Eastern Anatolia
- Altitude
- 1,890 m
- Best seasons
- Jun–Sep; Dec–Mar ski
- Famous for
- Seljuk monuments & skiing
Erzurum on the live map
Explore Erzurum and all of Turkey on the live intelligence map — tap a city node to fly in.
What Erzurum is known for
The Çifte Minareli Medrese (Twin Minaret) with its extraordinary carved stone portal and twin fluted minarets is the symbol of the city. The Yakutiye Medrese (1310, Ilkhanid) has a peacock-tile minaret and houses the city's ethnography collection. The 12th-century Citadel gives panoramic views of the plateau.
- Çifte Minareli Medrese — twin-minaret Seljuk seminary.
- Yakutiye Medrese — Ilkhanid tile-minaret complex.
- Palandöken ski resort — challenging alpine skiing.
- Oltu stone (jet) — black gemstone jewellery.
Getting around
Erzurum has an airport with domestic flights. Palandöken is 5 km from the city. High-speed train from Ankara (via Sivas) is under construction. A car opens up the Eastern Anatolian landscape.
On the platform
Erzurum is joining Türkiye Gez as we expand into a Turkey-wide city intelligence platform. This guide is the launch foundation — live transport data, an interactive map and deeper neighborhood content roll out city by city, on the same architecture that powers Istanbul today.
Frequently asked questions
About Erzurum
1Its extraordinary Seljuk/Ilkhanid medrese monuments (Çifte Minareli, Yakutiye), Palandöken ski resort, high plateau setting at 1,890 m and Oltu stone jewellery.