Tokat Attractions

Central South Pontus

The main road from Sivas to Samsun passes through the town of Tokat, which is dominated by a small medieval castle and lies at the eastern end of the fertile Tokat-Turhal Ovasi close to the confluence of the Tokay Suyu and the upper reaches of the Yeilirmak.

Read More Bey Sokagi

This street features a nicely restored homes and a timber-framed mosque.

Gazioglu Ishani

Probably of Armenian origin, this caravanserai in Tokat with a large inner courtyard was sometimes called Vergilioglu Hani. It was built in the 19th century and is situated in Boya Hane Sokagi north of the Sulu Sokak, beneath the castle. It is now used as a center for batik printing and may be visited.

Latifoglu Konagi

The Latifoglu Konagi, an early Ottoman home in Tokat is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. The two-story building has been restored and converted into a small Museum. It is well worth a visit as much of the furniture in the kitchen, study, visitors' rooms with bath and toilet, bedroom, master's room and harem is original.

Voyvoda Hani

Sometimes known as Tas Hani, this two-story caravanserai (1630/31) situated by the Meydan near Gök Medrese in Tokat consists of 32 rooms, a small prayer room and an extensive inner courtyard.

Ali Pasa (Külliyesi)

The complex around the Cumhuriyet Meydani in Tokat was built by Ali Pasa between 1565 and 1572 during the reign of Selim II. It consists of a mosque, a Koran school and a bath (to the east on the other side of the road). The prayer niche and heavenly staircase are made from yellow and blue marble. The founder's mausoleum lies to the east of the mosque in the cemetery garden.

Bedesten

The covered bazaar in Tokat was built in the 15th/16th century on the north side of the Sulu Sokak and modeled on similar bazaars in Aleppo and Bursa. It is currently being used as a store and is slowly decaying.

Ebulkasim Türbesi

Sometimes known as the Ali Tusi Türbesi, this mausoleum on the north side of the Sulu Sokak in Tokat contains the remains of Ebulkasim Bin Ali El Tusi Kendisi, a Sultan vizier.

Garipler Camii

One of Tokat's oldest mosques, the Garipler Camii in the Pazarcik quarter of the town, was built in 1074 by the Danishmends.

Gök Medrese

In use now as an archeological museum, this so-called Blue Koran School in Tokat with a fine doorway was built between 1271 and 1277 as a hospital (Muhineddin Pervane Sifanesi) but was converted into a theological college in 1811. The restored building houses a small but significant collection of icons which date from the town's Armenian period. Archeological finds and exhibits of ethnographic interest are on display in the former scholar's cells which surround the arcaded courtyard with its decoration of blue tiles.

Address

Tokat Museum and Historical Sites
Tokat
Turkey

Haci Turhan Mesçidi

The small mosque of Haci Turhan (1478) in Tokat can be found in a road which runs parallel to the Sulu Sokak opposite the Sultan Hamami.

Halef Gazi Tekkesi

This small dervish monastery in Tokat in a side alley north of the Meydan dates from 1292. Features of interest include a vaulted prayer room, two mausoleums and seven visitors' rooms.

Hatuniye Külliyesi

This complex of domed mosque (Meydan Camii) and medrese to the east of the Meydan in Tokat was founded in 1485 by Sultan Bayazit II in honor of his mother Gülbahar Hatun. The ancient columns and some other building materials were plundered from Commana Pontica.

Nureddin Ibn (Sentimur Türbesi)

This mausoleum (1314) in Tokat is situated to the west of the road to Amasya just north of the Meydan.

Pasa Hamami

The "General's Bath" at the southwestern end of Sulu Sokak is said to date from 1425 and it was thought to have been built by Yürgüc Pasa a vizier of Mehmet I.

Pasa Hani

This caravanserai situated in the district of Ivaz Pasa in Tokat on the Sulu Sokak was built about 1752. The main doorway is decorated with a relief of animals and cypresses. Only the facade side remains. A dwelling and a large, productive fruit orchard can be found inside.

Saat Kulesi

Tokat's clock tower was built in 1902. The tapering octagonal tower on a square base comprises four storys separated by ledges.

Sentimur Türbesi

This mausoleum, Sentimur Türbesi, on Gazi Osman Pasa Caddesi in Tokat is one of the most important structures of the Ilkhan period (1314).

Sulu Han

When precisely this caravanserai north of the Sulu Sokak in Tokat was built is not known, but the open courtyard is similar to Ottoman style. The two-story building has been faithfully restored.

Sünbül Baba Zaviyesi

Situated just north of the Gök Medrese in Tokat on the road to Amasya this dervish monastery and mausoleum date from Seljuk times (1292).

Tokat Kalesi

The castle, remains of the wall and the 28 towers were built on Hittite foundations probably during Byzantine times by the former inhabitants of Commana Pontica when they moved to Tokat. It was captured by the Danishmend Gümüstekin in 1074, extended during the Seljuk period and has been restored on a number of occasions subsequently. The castle contains a small mosque, store-rooms, a governor's residence and accommodation for soldiers. 362 steps hewn from the rock link the town with the castle site.

Çukur Medrese

Also known as Yagibasan Medresesi, the theological school on the south side of Sulu Sokak in Tokat dates from Danishmend times (1152) and was later restored by the Seljuk sultan Izzettin Kaikâ'ïs.

Tokat Surroundings

Pazar, Turkey

There are three interesting buildings in the small town of Pazar which is situated about 30km/19mi west of Tokat: the Mahperi Hatun Hani, its adjoining bridge over the Yesilirmak at the eastern entrance to the town and a mosque.

The village of Yalinyazi was the site of an ancient palace which stood on a crag. Portions of the town's wall can still be seen.

Alankoy, Turkey

20km/12mi south of Tokat in the village of Alan stands a caravanserai (1239) endowed by Mahperi Hatun, the mother of Kaichosrev II.

Almus, Turkey

The modern regional center of Almus lies 36km/22mi east of Tokat beside the Almus dam, which forms a barrier across the Yesilirmak. The medieval castle of Akinci Kalesi can be found to the northeast near the village of Akarcay ("White Castle").

Camlibel

Several older caravanserais lie beyond the Kizilnis Geçidi (1,750m/5,740ft) and can be found near the village of Camlibel in the Cekerek valley 60km/37mi south of Tokat. They form part of a series of caravanserais which were built ca. 1238 on the trade route from Sivas to Amasya.

Dazya

Dazya Hani at the southern edge of the Galut valley east of Turhal was built in 1238/39 by Kaichosrev II. The remains can be found near the village mosque.