Kastamonu

Area: 13.108 km²

Population: 375.476 (2000)

Traffic Code: 37

Kastamonu city center,is an ancient settlement location, and its districts contain numerous historical structures available for visiting purposes. The major ones among these localities are Araç, Taşköprü, Küre, Abana districts and are protected areas. Archeological protected sites could be counted as Zimbilli Hill (Pompeipolis) in Taşköprü district, Abeş Castle and Geriş Hill in Inebolu district, Ginolu Bay in Çatalzeytin district, Gideros Bay in Cide District.

Districts: Kastamonu (center), Abana, Ağlı, Araç, Azdavay, Bozkurt, Cide, Çatalzeytin, Daday, Devrekani, Doğanyurt, Hanönü, İhsangazi, İnebolu, Küre, Pınarbaşı, Şenpazar, Seydiler, Taşköprü, Tosya.

How to Get
The Kastamonu Province is at the junction point of the historical Silk Road connecting south and east and west with north and Sinop port in Black Sea. The bus station is located in the city center.

Museums

Kastamonu Archeological Museum: An archeological collection belonging to the prehistoric, Roman and Byzantine periods is exhibited in the Kastamonu museum.

This historical structure was constructed by Architect Kemalettin Bey in between 1914 – 1917. In this historical building, Atatürk had stated his historical speech concerning about the “Hat and Dress Revolution” in 1925 at his visit to Kastamonu. The materials used by Atatürk in his Kastamonu visit are also exhibited in the house.

Address: Cumhuriyet Avenue., Kastamonu,

Telephone: (+90-366) 214 10 70 - 214 54 56

Open hours to visit: 08.30 - 12.30 / 13.30 - 17.30 (Closed on Mondays)

Liva Paşa Mansion Ethnography Museum: This building was constructed by Mir Liva Sadik Paşa in between 1879 - 1881 years as a private mansion. The structure was nationalized by The Ministry of Culture in 1978 from the private property and was restored afterwards. It was open to visit in 1997 May.

The structure has a cellar + 3 floor and have separate parts for women and men. At the first floor of the mansion the products of Kastamonu hand crafts are exhibited in a different section. The second floor is open for public visit as a Kastamonu Mansion with all of its furniture and materials.

Address: Hepkebirler Quarter, Sakurada Avenue. No:5, Kastamonu,

Telephone: (+90-366) 214 01 49

75th Year of Republic House This mansion was bought from the private property in the extent of the Celebration activities of the 75th Year of the Republic by the Kastamonu Governorship 75th Year of the Republic Celebration Committee and was restored by the same committee. The mansion was assigned to the usage of the Ministry of Tourism for the purpose of introduction.

The house was open for visit since 29 October 1998. The house was decorated by local materials and donations from the folk and these ethnographic materials are on exhibit. Also the photographs, pictures and the objects related to the Kastamonu visit of Atatürk and Hat and Dress Revolution are exhibited.

Address: Hepkebirler Quarter. Saylav Street. No:4, Kastamonu

Telephone: (+90-366) 214 41 61

Open hours to visit: 08.30 - 12.30 / 13.30 - 17.30 (Open everyday)

Ancient Cities

Kastamonu Castle: The Kastamonu Castle is one of the major magnificent monuments of the province and it is assumed to be constructed in the Byzantine period. The castle is still impact and the foundation of the inner castle belongs to the Byzantine period and the higher section of the castle belongs to the Candarogullari state period.

Zimbilli Hill Tumulus (Pompeipolis): This ancient city is located in the vicinity of Taşköprü district center and was founded by the Romans in the year BC 64 as the center of the Paphlagonia province. At the executed archeological excavations, lots of historic works and mosaics were discovered.

House Rock Tombs: These rock tombs are located to the south of the city center on a rock starting from an altitude of 8 meters. These rock tombs are dated to the BC 7th century.

Mosques and Külliye Structures

Atabey Mosque: This mosque is located in the city center. It was constructed in 1273 at the period of Candarogullari state. Because of the wooden pillars extending from the door to the niche of the mosque the mosque is known with the name of 140 pillared mosque among the common folk. The short minaret constructed from the shear stone displays the properties of the Seljukian Period.

Ibni Neccar Mosque: This mosque is located at the city center. It was constructed in 1353 and survived to the present day with various restorations and attachments. The pointed arched entrance door is one of the most beautiful samples of the woodcarving.

Mahmut Bey Mosque: The mosque is located at 20 km. northwest of the city center in the Kasaba Village. It is one of the most beautiful samples of the wooden architecture tradition of the Seljukian and Governmental States period. The mosque was constructed in 1388 by Candaroglu Mahmut Bey. The wooden door wings of the mosque was covered and adorned with ancient inscriptions and plant patterns. The chisel works with colored paints on the plain wood are extremely successful.

Külliye of Ismail Bey: Candaroglu Ismail Bey (1443 - 1480) had constructed a külliye in Kastamonu in 1451 which is composed of a mosque, a mausoleum, a bath, a theological school and a charitable establishment. The stone craftsmanship at the front part of the Mausoleum is interesting.

Inns
Ismail Bey Inn: (Kurşunlu (Leaded) Inn) The inn is located in Kastamonu inside the Aktarlar Bazaar and has two main entrances in north and south directions.

Deve Inn: The inn is located in Kastamonu just behind the Külliye of Ismail Bey. At a written inscription, it is stated that this inn was constructed together with the Külliye of Ismail Bey. The front side of the structure is constructed from shear stone and the side walls are from debris stone.

Urgan Inn: The Urgan inn is located in Kastamonu beside the Nasrullah Mosque and was constructed in the 1748.

Gökçeagaç Caravansary: This Caravansary is located in the Hanönü district center. This Caravansary is assumed to be constructed as a church in Justinien period, but later it was transformed into a caravansary by Turks.

At the Akmescit, Hepkebirler, Atabey and Ismailbey quarters of the province, the samples of traditional and authentic Turkish houses and the samples of early period Ottoman civil architecture are still standing. This style of traditional houses are not so common at the city center, but this style of houses are encountered at the oldest quarters of Taşköprü, Küre, Inebolu, Araç and Abana districts.

Beaches
The beaches of Kastamonu province and its districts are mostly archeological and natural protection sites. Among these beaches are Cide Gideros Bay, Cide district beach, Central beach, Kumluca, Akbayir Village beach, Women Beach in Doganyurt, Boyranalti Beach in Inebolu district, Gemiciler Village Beach, Yakaören (Ilişi) Village Beach in Bozkurt, Public Beach in Abana, Holiday Village Beach and Ginolu Beach in Çatalzeytin.

Preserved Areas
Kastamonu - Ilgaz Mountain National Park

Küre Daglari Milli Parkı

Araç Türbe Mosque Pine (Araç Türbe Camii Çamı)

Beldeğirmeni Village Plane Tree (Beldeğirmeni Köyü Çınarı)

Oniki Kardeşler Natural Area

Erenler Pine (Erenler Çamı)

Caves
The caves of the region, which worth seeing could be counted as Ilgarini (Ilvarini) Cave in Pinarbaşi district, Sarpunalinca Cave in Küre district and Kuyluç Cave in Şenpazar district.

Highlands
The major plateaus of the Kastamonu province are Munay, Findikli, Siragömü, Kirazli, Başköy Plateaus in Araç District; Oluklu Plateau in Daday district; Sugla plateau in Azdavay district; Belören plateau in Küre district and Kösem, Dipsizgöl, Yeşil göl, Sekiler plateaus in Tosya district.