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Kayseri is a major city in Central Anatolia, is one of the gateways to Cappadocia.
Introduction to Kayseri
Kayseri originated as a trading post called Mazaka (Greek: Μάζακα, Armenian: Մաժաք) between the Hittites and Assyrians around 2000 BC. Around 250 BC it became the center of the Kingdom of Cappadocia and was renamed Eusebia (Εὐσέβεια) in honor of king Ariarathes V Eusebes Philopator (d. 130 BC). It was later renamed Caesarea (Καισάρεια) around 17 AD, by either the last Cappadocian king Archelaus or Roman Emperor Tiberius, to honor Augustus. The city formally passed under Roman rule in 17 AD.
Caesarea was destroyed by Sassanid king Shapur I in 260 but gradually recovered to become an important Christian city. It’s closely associated with early Church Fathers Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa, Basil of Caesarea, and other saints. Unfortunately, nothing survives from that period.
By the 7th century, Caesarea was on the Byzantine border region. It was raided by Arabs five times between 646 and 738 but only sacked once, in 725 by Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik (d. 738). The city lost importance by the 10th century and was sacked by Seljuk Sultan Alp Arslan in 1067. The Church of St. Basil was pillaged and destroyed and the entire population massacred.
Caesarea was uninhabited for nearly 50 years but it was gradually repopulated. The Danishmends rebuilt the city in 1134 and renamed it Kayseri. The Seljuks controlled it from 1178 to 1234 when it fell to the Mongols. Kayseri was ruled by the Eretnids for a brief period in the 14th century and finally came under Ottoman control in 1515.
Today, the city of Kayseri is a city of proud conservative people. It’s often bypassed by tourists in favor of more beautiful natural scenery of Cappadocia. In reality, it’s got some interesting sites that make it worth a day of exploration, especially to enthusiasts of Seljuk architecture.
Getting to Kayseri
Flights to the city land at Kayseri Erkilet Airport (Kayseri Erkilet Havalimanı) (ASR), which opened in 1998. It’s only 5 kilometers from the city center.
The majority of domestic flights are served by Turkish Airlines and Pegasus from both airports in Istanbul, but it’s also possible to fly in from Antalya or Izmir. There are various international flights available, mostly seasonal flights from Germany and the Netherlands (as of August 2025).
If you’re sitting on the correct side of the plane, take-off and landing at the airport allows you to see the majestic snow-capped Mount Erciyes (Erciyes Dağı), an inactive volcano.
Getting Around Kayseri
Getting around the historic city center can be done on foot. Otherwise, Kayseray, a light rail system with four lines, can get you around the city. It runs on an electronic travel card system that can also be used on buses. If you’re using Kayseri as a base and need to get to the Kayseri Bus Terminal (Kayseri Otogarı), hop on the T3 line at Republic Square (Cumhuriyet Meydanı) and get off at the Otogar stop.
Where to Stay in Kayseri
I’ve only stayed at one hotel during my trips to the city.
Kayzer Hotel
I stayed at the Kayzer Hotel. It’s a decent business hotel with good WiFi a couple blocks north of Mimar Sinan Park. I stayed for three nights and paid a reasonable rate.
Where to Eat in Kayseri
I can’t recall the exact restaurants but I did seek out the famous
Kayserı Mantısı
Kayserı mantısı is tiny meat filled dumplings covered in yogurt, melted butter, dry mint, and pepper flakes. It was nearly impossible to find good mantı in town. Why? A waiter told me because people in Kayseri always make it at home and don’t go out to eat it. He said I would be able to find better mantı in restaurants in Istanbul than in Kayseri.
Republic Square
A great place to start exploring Kayseri is the irregularly-shaped Republic Square (Cumhuriyet Meydanı). It’s a wide open space featuring two monuments of the ever-present Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (c. 1881-1938). The city’s main square was a market square during the Ottoman period. Since the establishment of the Turkish Republic, it has developed into a gathering place for celebrations and protests. The square took its current shape during a redevelopment in the early 2000s.
Kayseri Clock Tower
The Kayseri Clock Tower (Kayseri Saat Kulesi) is in the center of Republic Square. It was built in 1906 during the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid II along with the attached to the Timekeeper’s Room (Muvakkithane). The tower stands about 15 meters high and has clock face on all four sides. The pointed roof is topped by a weathervane.
Equestrian Atatürk Monument
Next to the clock tower is an equestrian Atatürk Monument (Atatürk Anıtı). It was designed by Italian sculptor Pietro Canonica (1869-1959) and erected in 1926. One of the first Atatürk monuments in Turkey, it depicts the leader on horseback in full military uniform.
Atatürk Monument
Across the street on the north side of Republic Square is the Atatürk Monument (Atatürk Anıtı). It was designed by Azmi Sekban (1952-2020) and İnayet Türkoğlu (b. 1963) and completed in 2007. The monument features a statue of the founder of the Turkish Republic. He stands in front of two bronze relief panels depicting scenes of the Turkish War of Independence. It includes images of the Kayseri High School students who went to the front and never returned. Between the two panels is a relief of Atatürk and the full text of his December 19, 1919, message to the people of Kayseri.
On the outside sections of the monuments are reliefs representing the civilizations that have ruled over Kayseri. The three on the left side depict the Kingdom of Cappadocia, the Roman Empire, and the Byzantine Empire. On the right side are the Seljuk Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Danishmends.
Kayseri Castle
Kayseri Castle (Kayseri Kalesi), the imposing structure on the south end of Republic Square, was first mentioned between 238 and 244, during the reign of Roman Emperor Gordian III. During the 6th century, Byzantine Emperor Justinian had the main wall narrowed to better protect the city. It underwent a major repair under Seljuk Sultan Kayqubad I in 1224, and was further repaired by the Ottomans and modern Turkish Republic.
Kayseri Castle consists of an inner and outer section and has 18 towers. t measures roughly 200 meters long by 50 meters wide and the walls are 3 meters thick. At the time of my visit it held a bazaar but it has since been converted into an arts and cultural center. You’ll find the Kayseri Archaeological Museum (Kayseri Arkeoloji Müzesi) there. It’s open daily and admission for foreigners is €4 (as of August 2025). The photos below were taken before restoration in June 2012.
Bürüngüz Mosque
Continuing clockwise around the square is the Bürüngüz Mosque (Bürüngüz Camii). It was built in the classic Ottoman style in 1977 by wealthy local businessman and former mayor Refik Bürüngüz. The mosque has two minarets and is topped by a central dome.
Kurşunlu Mosque
On the west side of Republic Square you’ll find the Kurşunlu Mosque (Kurşunlu Camii), also known as the Hacı Ahmed Pasha Mosque (Hacı Ahmet Paşa Camii). It was commissioned by Doğancı Hacı Ahmet Pasha and built between 1576 and 1585 by favorite son Mimar Sinan. It’s Sinan’s only surviving work out of 12 in Kayseri.
The Kurşunlu Mosque features a square prayer hall topped by a dome covered in lead sheets. The entrance is via a double porch in front. The mosque formed part of a complex with a madrasa, soup kitchen, and shops.
Sahabiye Madrasa
The Sahabiye Madrasa (Sahabiye Medresesi) sits on the north end of Republic Square. It was built in 1267 by Sâhib Ata, a vizier of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, as a theological school. The building has an ornate entrance portal and consists of a courtyard surrounded by students cells. A fountain once stood in the middle. It’s now used as a book bazaar.
Roman Tomb
Detouring behind the madrasa for a moment, you can dig very deep into Kayseri’s history. There’s A fully intact Roman tomb dating back to the 2nd or 3rd century. The Seljuks built a structure atop the tomb and it was forgotten until 1956, when it was rediscovered and restored. Seljuk tombstones were found inside, indicating it was reused for burial
Tomb of Zeynel Abidin
On the east side of the square is the small tomb of Zeynel Abidin (Zeynel Abidin Türbesi) holds the remains of a Muslim saint from the 12th or 13th century. The tomb was built around 1885 by Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamid II.
Hunat Hatun Mosque
Finally, on the southeast corner of Republic Square is the Hunat Hatun Mosque (Hunat Hatun Camii). This magnificent Seljuk structure was built in 1238. It was commissioned by Mahperi Hunat Hatun, the Christian-born wife of Sultan Alâeddin Keykûbad I. The complex consisted of a madrasa and the tomb of Mahperi Hunat Hatun. It still has a functioning hamam.
Mimar Sinan Park
Northwest of Republic Square is the pleasant Mimar Sinan Park (Mimar Sinan Parkı). It’s named for the great Ottoman architect, Mimar Sinan (c. 1490-1588), who was originally an Armenian or Greek Christian from Kayseri. A monument to Sinan is at the southern end of the park.
The park originally consisted of several neighborhoods that were cleared in the early 1980s for redevelopment. Rather than construct high-density housing, the municipality decided in 1984 to create Mimar Sinan Park. Groundbreaking took place in 1987 and it opened to the public on October 29, 1997.
Double Madrasa
In the middle of the park lies the Double Madrasa (Çifte Medrese), which is one of the most important structures ever built in Kayseri. The complex, also known as the Gevher Nesibe and Gıyasiyye Hospital (Gevher Nesibe ve Gıyasiyye Şifaiyyesi) and the Gevher Nesibe Sultan Madrasa and Hospital (Gevher Nesibe Sultan Medresesi ve Darüşşifası), was built in 1206. It was a gift to the city by Seljuk sultan Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev I in memory of his sister, Gevher Nesibe Sultan. Her tomb is located on the east side of the complex.
The two adjacent buildings (hence the name Double Madrasa) served the entire community regardless of religion – one as a medical school and research center and the other as a hospital. According to some sources, the complex was first in the world to provide both medical education and health services together in one place. It functioned until the 17th century, when it fell into disuse and ended up in ruins.
In the 1960s the complex was restored. It opened as a medical history museum for Erciyes University (Erciyes Üniversitesi), which operated from the 1980s until 2012. The municipality took ownership of the complex and reopened it as the Seljuk Civilization Museum (Selçuklu Uygarlığı Müzesi) on February 21, 2014. Admission is 25₺ for adults and free for kids under 8 and seniors age 65+ (as of August 2025).
Avgunlu Madrasa
The Avgunlu Madrasa (Avgunlu Medrese) sits a few steps to the west. The exact construction date is unknown but it was probably built in the 13th century. It now serves as a café and book market.
Gevher Nesibe Mosque
The Gevher Nesibe Mosque (Gevher Nesibe Camii) is on the west end. It was built in 1993 and is a domed Ottoman-style mosque. There used to be a pond next to it but it has since been filled in.
Hacı Kılıç Mosque
On the northeast end of the park is the Hacı Kılıç Mosque (Hacı Kılıç Camii). This Seljuk mosque was built by Ali et-Tûsî in 1249 but the origin of its name is unknown. It’s part of a complex that included a madrasa, which is attached to the north side of the mosque. Both buildings are made of cut stone. The tomb of Hüseyin Bey, who had the mosque repaired in 1552, is next to the minaret.
Like the majority of Seljuk buildings, it features beautiful stonework on the entrance portal. The prayer hall is divided into five sections and supported by several arches. The minaret is a recent addition as the original is located between two portals on the roof. As for the madrasa, it has a central courtyard surrounded by classrooms and student cells.
Covered Bazaar
The people of Kayseri are well-known across Turkey for their business acumen. To get a firsthand glimpse of this, the Covered Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı) is a great place to go haggle with shopkeepers. According to many of my students in Istanbul, you think you’re getting a great deal, but the sellers from Kayseri always win big.
The Covered Bazaar originated in the 12th century during the Seljuk period. It became an important commercial hub and was expanded by the Ottomans, who modeled it on the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, in the 1490s. The heart of the bazaar is the bedesten, which is a long stone hall with barrel vaults and iron doors. With 600 shops, it’s the second largest bazaar in Turkey after the Grand Bazaar.
Vezir Han
Vezir Han (Vezir Hanı) behind the Covered Bazaar is also worth popping into. This two-story workshop was built in 1723 by Grand Vizier Nevşehirli Damat Ibrahim Pasha (c. 1662-1730), who was from Cappadocia, to provide income for his mosque complex in Nevşehir. He served under Ahmed III.
Grand Mosque of Kayseri
Next to the han is the Grand Mosque of Kayseri (Kayseri Ulu Camii), which is the oldest mosque in the city. Construction started in 1134 under the Danishmend Emir Melikgazi (d. 1134) and was completed in 1143. It was part of a complex containing a madrasa that has since been demolished. The Seljuks made repairs in 1206 and added the minaret, which is the tallest in Kayseri. At the time it was built, the mosque was the largest building in the city.
The prayer hall of the mosque measures roughly 44 x 66 meters and is divided into aisles by over 40 columns and piers. The columns and capitals are believed to have been taken from a nearby Byzantine church. The mihrab is made of marble and the minbar, made in the 12th or 13th century, is wooden. A dome tops the roof in front of the mihrab. The impressive wooden north doors are now on display in the Ankara Ethnography Museum. The ablution fountains are attached to Vezir Han.
Atatürk House
The Atatürk House (Atatürk Evi) is housed in the İmamizade Raşit Ağa Mansion (İmamizade Raşit Ağa Konağı), which was built in the 19th century. It’s decorated in the style used at the time Atatürk visited Kayseri for the first of his five visits to the city from 1919 to 1934. He stayed two nights in the house on December 19-20, 1919. The museum opened to the public in 1983. Admission is free (as of August 2025) and it’s open daily except Mondays.
Güpgüpoğlu Mansion
The nearby Güpgüpoğlu Mansion (Güpgüpoğlu Konağı) is the oldest house in Kayseri. It was built between 1419 and 1497. Additions and modifications were made until the 18th century. The mansion contains a selamlık, which was reserved for men, and a harem.
In 1976, the mansion was expropriated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and restored. The city’s Ethnography Museum relocated to the selamlık in 1998. It features tiles, ceramics, wooden and metal objects, weapons, carpets, clothing, jewelry, manuscripts, and more. Stone artifacts can be seen in the garden. Admission for foreigners is €3 (as of August 2025) and it’s open daily except Mondays.
Yoğunburç
On the southeast corner of the old city is Yoğunburç. It’s the most prominent surviving tower on the Kayseri city walls. It was built in the 3rd or 4th century during the Roman period and repairs by the Seljuks in the 13th century. It was used as a prison and government office in the 16th century. Yoğunburç translates to “Massive Tower”.
Alaca Kümbet
The Alaca Kümbet sits in the median across the street from Yoğunburç. It was built sometime between 1184 and 1190 for Emir Sadreddin Ömer bin Celaleddin Muhammed. The tomb is on a square plan with a conical roof and is made of cut stone. The entrance portal and windows are surrounded by floral and geometric patterns while the interior decorations are very simple.
Surp Asdvadzadzin Armenian Church
Detouring a short walk west is the Surp Asdvadzadzin Armenian Church (Meryem Ana Ermeni Kilisesi). It was built in 1856 to serve Kayseri’s once large Armenian community. The congregation was lost to the Armenian Genocide in 1915. It has since been used as a sports center, cinema, cultural center, and now serves as the Surp Asdvadzadzin Virgin Mary Church Research Library (Surp Asdvadzadzin Meryem Ana Kilisesi Araştırma Kütüphanesi). It’s open daily, and visitors can enter to see the features of the church.
The nave of the church is divided into three sections and is topped by a dome. The design combines traditional Armenian, Ottoman, and Byzantine elements. Another church, Surp Krikor Lusuvoriç, is one of the most important Armenian churches in Anatolia. It sits on the outskirts of the old city and still celebrates mass twice a year.
Assyrian Trade Tablet
In the middle of the roundabout south of the church is the Assyrian Trade Tablet (Asur Ticaret Tableti). It’s a monument dedicated to the historic Assyrian trade network in Anatolia.
Kayseri Directorate of Surveying and Monuments
On the south side of the roundabout is a historic mansion housing the Kayseri Directorate of Surveying and Monuments (Kayseri Rölöve ve Anıtlar Müdürlüğü). Although I can’t find any specific info about the building, the organization is responsible for documenting, preserving, and restoring cultural heritage sites across Kayseri, Nevşehir, Niğde, and Kırşehir.
Döner Kümbet
The most famous Seljuk tomb in Kayseri is the Döner Kümbet (Revolving Tomb). It was built in 1276 for princess Şah Cihan Hatun, the daughter of Seljuk Sultan Alâeddin Keykûbad I. It’s a few blocks south of Yoğunburç down Seyyid Burhanettin Boulevard and sits in the median.
The tomb is made of cut stone and has 12 sides with a conical roof. All 12 sides are decorated with floral and geometric motifs. Lion reliefs are above the door, which is accessed via a narrow double stairway.
