ÇORUM
Area: 12.820 km²
Population: 609.863 (1990)
Traffic Code: 19
Opening gate of Black Sea Region to Interior Anatolia Region, Çorum offers tourism services in large scale together with the 5 thousand years of history within the unique natural beauties.
Districts : Alaca, Bayat, Boğazkale, Dodurga, İskilip, Kargı, Laçin, Mecitözü, Oğuzlar, Ortaköy, Osmancık, Sungurlu, Uğurludağ.
How to Get
Highway Çorum is located on the main road that connects Ankara to Black Sea Region. Coach station is at the city center.
Coach Station Tel: (+90-364) 213 66 70
Air way There is no airport exist at Çorum, nearest airports are at Samsun (176 km) and Ankara (242 km).
Where to Visit
ANCIENT CITIES
Boğazköy – Hattuşaş Boğazköy, (Hattusas) located at Çorum city, inside the borders of Boğazkale county, is 208 km. from Ankara, and 82 km. away from Çorum. Hattuşaş, the capital city of Hittite civilization the first to build an organized State in Anatolia, has an important place in Anatolian archeology too.
Today Boğazköy is registered as Historical National Park ,and the main places to be seen are remained from the late period of Great Hittite Empire. On your way upon following the route of the park you will see; Big temple at Aşağı Sevir (temple numbered 1), city ramparts and monumental gates on it (Arslanlı Gate (gate with lions), Poterni and Yer Gates, Kral Gate (king gate)). Temples that their numbers reach to 31 at Yukarı Sevir are composed of Nisan Hill, Kingdom Palace, other buildings and Great Castle. Most important buildings of Frig Period are Bastionu and Güney Castles. Moreover at the local museum of Boğazköy important findings of ruins are exhibited.
Yazılıkaya (inscribed stone) Yazılıkaya open air temple, a unique remnant of Hittite Empire Period, is 2 km north east of Boğazköy. It was formed with two spaces, named big and little galleries, and arranged with possible formation that fits the natural location of local stones. Goddesses embossments take place on the right wall, god embossments take place at left wall of Big gallery and both groups described as having a motion to main scene that shows meeting of Weather God Tesup and his wife Goddess Hepatu. Embossment of IV.King Tuthaliya is on the east wall and it is the biggest embossment of gallery. In this room celebration of the spring festival is described. Entrance to little gallery is occupied by a narrow corridor. On each two sides of the entrance protective winged lions are described. In this place, there are embossments of twelve gods as if moving ahead to right, God of Meç (rapier) and IV. Tuthaliya under the protection of God Sarumma. Temples were built in front of these praying places in later periods.
Alacahöyük 45 km from Çorum, placed in the settlement place of Höyük Village at Alaca County, Alacahöyük is an important archeological ruin place by it’s magnificent gate with sphinxes, inetersting architectural buildings and local museum that can be visited in a day for visitors who visit Boğazköy and Yazılıkaya. It is 34 km away from Boğazköy and 210 km away from Ankara.
Ruins that remains to present day are dated back to Hittite period. Alacahöyük has an open – air museum status with its magnificent gate containing sphinxes, its religion and government buildings like temple – palace complex and other architectural ruins.
Ortaköy (Sapinuva) It is located at Ortakoy county. During the excavation processes 18 rooms of a monumental building remained from Hittite Empire Period was unearthed. Between those building ruins , tombs dating back to Roman Period were founded.
İskilip Rock Tombs It is located at county center built on a 100 m. high natural rock. There are rock tombs remained from Roman Period at east and southeast of the castle.
MOSGUES
Ulu Mosque It is the biggest mosque of Çorum.
Hıdırlık Mosque Located at the west part of the city, the mosque shows the late Ottoman period architectural style. Near the mosque are tombs containing graves of the friends of Prophet Muhammed from Eshab-i Kiram; Suheybi Rumi, Kereb-i Gazi one of the Muslims elders, Yusuf-i Bahri and Übit-i Gazinin who were the members of the armies coming from Medina for the conquest of Istanbul at 40th year of the Hegira.
Şeyh Muhittin Yavsı Mosque Mosque built with one dome by Şeyh Yavsı who is the father of famous Ottoman juridical decision authority and Islam scholar Ebussuud Efendi. Later the mosque was enlarged through the constructions added by Ebussuud Efendi.
Evlik Village Mosque and Tomb It is located at Evlik Village within İskilip district. There are graves of Fatih’s tutor Akşemsettin’s son(Nurum Hûda) and their relatives in the mosque and tomb.
CASTLES
Clock Tower It was built in 1984 by Çorumlu Yedi Sekiz Hasan Pasha who was defender of Beşiktaş.The structure is 27.5 m. high and the historical symbol of city.
Çorum Castle Çorum castle preserves Seljuk architecture style,and has been inhabited still. It was perched on a high hill at east of city.
İskilip Castle It was built on an area surrounded from three sides with very rocky places and hundred – meter high area. It has a gate towards the south direction and a dungeon room in side the castle at the left side.
Osmancık Castle It is concived that the castle remain from Roman Period.
INNS AND BATHS
Veli Paşa Inn It is the sample of Ottoman period Inns with its plan and architecture.
Pasha Public Bath It was built by Tabettin İbrahim Pasha Bin Hacı Bey at the year of 1487. It is one of the Ottoman construction which has still been in service.
Süpür Public Bath It is a public bath located opposite the Ulu mosque at city center and was built at the year of 1436.It embodies Ottoman period architectural characteristic. Restoration processes of the bath still continue.
Ali Pasha Public Bath (New Public Bath) This public bath placed near the watchtower is the biggest public bath of city. Ali Pasha who was the chief governor of Erzurum made it built in 1573.
NATIONAL AND NATURAL PARKS
Boğazköy Alacahöyük National Park
Çorum – Alacahöyük National Park
Location: Alacahoyuk is 52km southwest of Corum, in Central Anatolia, 29km north of Yozgat and west of Ankara.
Transportation: By road, Alacahoyuk is off the Sungurlu – Corum highway, and easily accessible by bus from Yozgat or Corum. It is roughly equidistant between the airports at Ankara, Nevsehir and Kayseri.
Highlights: The area is best known for its historical and archaeological interest, which includes remains of Bogazkoy (Hattusas) which was the centre of the Hittite civilisation, and one of the most important in Anatolia. The main structures still remaining are the city walls and gates, the tunnel, Palace archive building in Buyukkale, and the temples.
Yazilikaya Open Air Temple, which is 2 km north of Bogazkoy, can be reached via the road from Sungurlu. Yazilikaya was the first Pantheon known in Anatolia, and there are reliefs of Hittite kings, queens, gods and goddesses.
Facilities: The area is best visited between May and October. The nearest accommodation is in Bogazkale.
Çatak Nature Park
Çorum – Çatak Natural Park
Location: Catak Park is 20km from Corum, in the centre of the Black Sea region.
Transportation: The park can be reached via the Corum – Lacin highway.
Highlights: The larch tree is the dominant species in the area, and there are also some Scotch pines. Living in the park are foxes, rabbits, wolves, singing birds and partridges and the best time for visiting is between May and October. 387 hectares was granted the status of Natural Park in 1984.
PROMENADE
There are lots of promenade places present in the borders of Çorum. Those are Çatak Nature Park, Kırk dilim promenade places, Sıklık promenade places, Baha Bey Pine Grove, Sağmaca Water, İskilip Elma Beli, Ladin Köşk Evi (pavilion house) promenade places.
Geography
Beside the dominance of an interior Anatolian terrestrial climate, Çorum also under the influence of the mild Black Sea climate. The effect of hot and dry weather felt during summer months gives its place to severe cold weathers during winter months.
History
The excavations reveals that human settlements were present in Çorum during Paleolithic, Neolithic period and 4th stage of Cal Eolithic Age. The remnants belonging to these ages are at Alacahöyük, Büyük Güllüce, Boğazköy, Eski yapar, Kuşsaray. Settlements has been continued from those periods. Later times Çorum and its environs were dominated by Hittite, Frigs, Kimmer, Med, Persian, Galat, Romans, Byzantine, Seljuks, Danişmend, Mongol, Ertena, Kadı Burhanettin and Ottomans.
Where to Eat
Famous for its leblebi( roasted chickpea),Çorum has rich variety of local cuisine.
Among the authentic meals of Çorum there are Mayalı, (Saç Mayalısı, Tava Mayalısı), Yanın, Cırlak, Gömbe, Ovmaç, Hıngal, Poppy Bun, Bordanı (With dough,egg,mushroom) Helise, Çullama, Madımak, Tirittir, İskilip Dolması Kara Çuval Helvası, Hedik, Telsel, Has Baklava (finely layered pastry filled with nuts).
What to Buy
If we talk about the primary things that can be bought from Çorum city, roasted chickpea as one of the symbols of the city and souvenirs made of copper can be mentioned.
Don’t Leave Without
– Visiting Alacahöyük, Bogazkale Museum and ruin places,
– Seeing hand made creations made of copper,
– Tasting Çorum meat pasty, Keşkek and İskilip Dolması, Gül burma or Has Baklava,
– Buying Çorum roasted chickpea,
Sites
Registered Immobile Cultural and Natural Heritages in Çorum
Sites
Archaeological Sites: 34
Urban Sites: 3
Natural Sites: –
Historical Sites: –
Total: 37
Cultural (at Single Construction Scale) and Natural
Heritages: 165
TOTAL: 202
Contact Information
Provincial Cultural Directorate
Tel: (364) 212 05 10
Fax: (364) 212 05 10
State Fine Arts Gallery Directorate
Kültür Sitesi – ÇORUM
Tel: (0 364) 213 70 38
Fax: 0 364)212 05 10
Museum
Çorum Museum Detailed Information Address: Gülabibey Mah. Müze Sok. Çorum
Tel: (364) 213 15 68
Fax: (364) 224 30 25
Governorship : (+90-364) 213 84 18
Municipality : (+90-364) 213 53 10
Hospital : (+90-364) 225 40 00
Police : (+90-364) 311 39 00
Gendarme : (+90-364) 681 56 31
Provincial Directorate : (+90-364) 213 77 17 – 224 81 35
Provincial Culture Directorate : (+90-364) 212 05 10
Links
Çorum Governorship http://www.corum.gov.tr/
Çorum Municipality http://www.corum-bld.gov.tr/
The Tourism Directorate of Çorum’s http://www.corumturizm.gov.tr/english/index2.htm