Sivas has one of the richest concentrations of Seljuk architecture in Turkey — the twin-minareted Çifte Minareli Medrese and the Buruciye Medrese line the main square with extraordinary blue-tile and stone-carved façades from the 13th century. The city also hosted the 1919 Sivas Congress, a pivotal meeting in the founding of the Turkish Republic.
But the province's greatest treasure lies 2 hours west: the Divriği Great Mosque and Şifahane (hospital), built in 1228, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the astonishing intricacy of its portal carving — no two panels repeated, the stone work so dense and inventive it defies classification.
Known for: Çifte Minareli Medrese · Divriği Great Mosque (UNESCO) · Buruciye Medrese · Sivas Congress (1919) · Anatolian crossroads
- Region
- Central Anatolia / East
- Famous for
- Seljuk monuments & Divriği
- Best seasons
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- UNESCO
- Divriği Great Mosque
Sivas on the live map
Explore Sivas and all of Turkey on the live intelligence map — tap a city node to fly in.
What Sivas is known for
The Sivas madrasas cluster on the city's main square: the Çifte Minareli (twin-minaret), Buruciye and Gök medresahs are all within walking distance and together represent the peak of 13th-century Anatolian tile and stone art. The Congress building is now a museum commemorating 1919. Divriği requires a 2-hour mountain drive but is one of the most rewarding sites in all of Turkey.
- Çifte Minareli Medrese — twin-minareted Seljuk seminary.
- Divriği Great Mosque & Şifahane — UNESCO, extraordinary carved portals.
- Sivas Congress House Museum — 1919 Republic founding event.
- Buruciye and Gök Medresahs — medieval Islamic architecture.
Getting around
Sivas is on the main Ankara–Erzurum rail line and road corridor — 5 hours from Ankara, 3.5 from Kayseri. Divriği is 175 km west on a mountain road, best visited by car.
On the platform
Sivas 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 Sivas
2Its extraordinary 13th-century Seljuk madrasas with blue-tile façades, the UNESCO-listed Divriği Great Mosque's carved portals, and the 1919 Sivas Congress of the Turkish Independence movement.
The Great Mosque's carved stone portals are unlike anything else in the Islamic world — the density and originality of the geometric and floral carving earned UNESCO status in 1985.