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A few places of interest lie outside of the compact city center of Kastamonu, mostly to the south. They’re all within easy walking distance.
Liva Pasha Mansion
If you follow the river a couple blocks south of Republic Square (Cumhuriyet Meydanı) and turn right on Sakarya Street (Sakarya Caddesi), you’ll find the most impressive building in town. The Liva Pasha Mansion (Liva Paşa Konağı), which also serves as an ethnographic museum, was built in 1870. It’s open daily from 8:30am to 5:30pm and admission is free (as of March 2024).
Archaeology Museum
A bit further along the river is the Kastamonu Archaeology Museum (Kastamonu Arkeoloji Müzesi). This building is where Atatürk announced the Hat Law in 1925 outlawing the fez. The museum has an interesting collection. It’s open daily from 8:30am to 5:30pm and admission is free (as of March 2024).
Clock Tower
Across the river is a residential neighborhood situated on a hill. At the top is the Kastamonu Clock Tower (Kastamonu Saat Kulesi) built in 1885 under Sultan Abdülhamid II. There’s a small tea garden next to it to enjoy the best views of Kastamonu.
Sinan Bey Mosque
Back on the other side of the river again, a couple blocks south of the museum is the Sinan Bey Mosque (Sinan Bey Camii), built in 1571. It’s located in a nice little park.
Uğurlu Mansions
Heading west of Sinan Bey Mosque to the neighborhood on the south side of Kastamonu Castle, you’ll run into the beautiful Uğurlu Mansions (Uğurlu Konakları). They were built between 1850 and 1860 and restored in 2009. They now function as a boutique hotel and restaurant.
Musa Fakih Mosque
Further down is the Musa Fakih Mosque (Musa Fakih Camii) with its rusted tin minaret. It was built in 1748
Sheikh Şaban–ı Veli Complex
A historic mosque complex, Sheikh Şaban–ı Veli Complex (Şeyh Şaban–ı Veli Külliyesi), is dedicated to a poet and holy man who brought the Halveti sect of Islam to Kastamonu.
Sheikh Şaban-ı Veli (1471-1569) is buried in a tomb at the complex. There’s also a small Ottoman cemetery on the grounds.
Ismail Bey Mosque
Finally, a short walk north of the city center to the west of the river is the imposing Ismail Bey Mosque (İsmail Bey Camii). Sitting on a small hill, the mosque complex was built between 1451 and 1475.
The complex is nicely landscaped and features a gazebo and a tomb.
