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A good place to start exploring Kütahya is along Republic Street (Cumhuriyet Caddesi), a pedestrianized street in the city center.
Roundabout
A roundabout at the southern end of the busy Atatürk Boulevard (Atatürk Bulvarı) leads to the street. In the center of the roundabout is a fountain dedicated to Kütahya pottery. A clock tower (Saat Kulesı) is located in Azerbaijan Park (Azerbaycan Parkı) to the east.
Former Municipality Building
The former Kütahya Municipality (Kütahya Belediyesi) is located to the south of the roundabout. It was built in the late 19th century and is covered in Kütahya tiles. I believe the building has been torn down since my visit and replaced with a park, but I need confirmation on this.
In front of the building, I noticed a small fountain also covered in tiles. Nearby is a statue of a Zeybek. The Zeybeks were guerrilla fighters who lived in the Aegean region between the 17th and early 20th centuries. To the right is another noticeable building, the Gül Palace Hotel (Gül Palas Otel).
Republic Street
From there, walk down Republic Street. It’s a lively pedestrian street lined with shops and restaurants.
Mosques
There are couple of historic mosques along the way. Ali Pasha Mosque (Ali Paşa Camii) was built in 1796, and Karagöz Mosque (Karagöz Camii) was built in 1509. I didn’t enter either of them.
Whirling Dervish Statue
At the end of Republic Street is a statue of a whirling dervish. You can also find the Dönenler Mosque and Kütahya Great Mosque across the street from one another.
Ahi Erbasan Street
While waiting for prayers to end so I could visit the mosques, I walked up Ahi Erbasan Street (Ahi Erbasan Caddesi), which starts in front of the Dönenler Mosque. I found some nice Ottoman homes there.
