Area: 6.570 km²
Population: 253.239 (2000)
Traffic Code: 40
Kırşehir city, which is a scene for various civilizations for thousands of years is not only drawing attention with various historical pieces of art, underground cities, but also with its rich thermal sources, Seyfe Lake (Bird Paradise) like natural beauties.
Districts: Kırşehir (center), Akçakent, Akpınar, Boztepe, Çiçekdağı, Kaman, Mucur.
How to Get
Road: Terminal is approximately 2 km. away from city center. Municipality buses, minibus and private taxis are servicing to Terminal.
Coaching Station Tel : (+ 90 - 386) 212 28 66 - 213 20 26
Railroad: Train gar is 1 km away from city center.
Çagirkan Castle Tumulus: It is on Kirşehir - Kaman road, in Çağırkan borough, 9 km. away from Kaman province. It is settled from 3000 B. C. till Islamic Period.
Center Kalehöyük: Kalehöyük, which is at the city center, had been settled since B. C. periods till today.
Hashöyük: During the excavations, performed at Hashöyük, which is 35 km. away from city center, Hittite Period belonging ruins are found.
Mucur Underground City: The underground city at Mucur province center, is founded in 3rd and 4th centuries A. D. There are 42 chambers, dungeons, stables, temples, secret roads and gates and ventilation shafts within this city, which is 7 - 8 m. deep from ground.
Dulkadirli Inli Murat Underground City: It is in Dulkadirli Inli Murat village, which is 58 km. away from city center. It is thought that this city is built in 4th and 5th centuries A. D. It is composed of three main spaces and 10 chambers, which are opening to these spaces.
Mosque, Mausoleum and Churches
Cacabey (Theology School) Mosque: The theology school, is the city center, which was constructed in 1271 - 1272, and currently used as a mosque. It is served as an astronomy institute during Seljukian Period. Its minaret, which is separate from the structure, is also used as watching tower.
Derefakili Churches: These structures, which are some of the first churches of Christianity, are at the Derefakili village of Akçakent province.
Ahi Evran Mosque and Mausoleum: The mosque and mausoleum, is constructed in the name of Ahi Evran, who was the founder of the Ahilik Organization, in 1482. The structure is in the city center. You can climb to the mausoleum by a ladder inside the mosque.
Lala (Lale) Mosque: It is in the city center, and just beside to the Melik Gazi Vault. Architectural style of the mosque is remembering you that it is constructed as a caravansary and a mint.
Melik Gazi Vault: It is thought that the vault, which is at south east of city center, is constructed during the 13th century.
Other impressive vaults are Kalender Baba Vault and Fatma Hatun Vault.
Aşikpaşa Mausoleum, Cacabey Mausoleum, Süleyman Türkmani Mausoleum, Muhterem Hatun Mausoleum, Yunus Emre Mausoleum are the valuable pieces of arts to see within the region.
Religion Tourism
KIRŞEHİR
Cacabey (Medresesi) Mosque (Center): The theology school , which is at the city center, was constructed in 1271-1272 and currently used as a mosque.
It served as a astronomy institute during Seljuk period.It is minaret, which is seperate from the structure , was also used as an watch tower.
Ahi Evran Mosque and Mausoleum (Center): The mosque and mauso1eum , which was constructed in the name of Ahi Ervan, who was the founder of Ahilik Organization, in 1482, is at the city center.
One can climb the mausoleum by a ladder inside the mosque.
Lala Mosque (Lale Mosque-Center): It is at the city center and adjacent to Melik Gazi Vault.The architectural style of the mosque resemble to that of caravanserai and a mint.
Melik Gazi Vault (Center): In the southeast of the city center, the vault is thought to have been built in 13th century.
Derefakılı Churches (Akçakent): Among the first Christian churches to have been built, these churches are located at Derefakılı Village,Akçakent district.
Castles
Kuş Castle: It is thought that Kuş castle, which is near to Kaman is constructed during Hittite Period and used until the end of Byzantium Period.
Keçi Castle: It is at north east of Kızılca village, of Kirşehir center. Today’s height of the wall ruins of the castle, constructed by Byzantium, is 2 - 3 m. It is one of the biggest castles of Kirşehir.
Caravansaries
Kesikköprü Caravansary: (Cacabey Inn) Caravansary, which is at the Kesikköprü village, 23 km. south of Kirşehir, and bridge near to it, are constructed on 1248 by Anatolian Seljukian State’s Kirşehir Emir, Nurettin Caca. Corolla gate, constructed with two separate colored rocks, is drawing attention with its masonry.
Thermal Resorts
Terme Thermal Tourism Center
Karakurt Thermal Spring: It is in karalar village of Kirşehir city center. It is 15 km. away from city center. There are 50 bedded hotel, market and tea garden around it on the thermal spring.
Preserved Areas
Seyfe Lake Nature Protection Area
Ornithology Areas
Seyfe Lake and Hirfanli Dam Bird Areas are within Kirşehir city.
Kizilirmak Basin
Tödürge Lake
City: Sivas
Provinces: Hafik, Zara
Surface Area: 750
Altitude : 1295 m
Protection: N/A
Bird Species: It gains important bird areas status with macar ördeği (40 pairs) population.
Main Characteristics: light salty lake, swamp
Matched category: B2
Palas Lake
City: Kayseri
Provinces: Sarıoğlan, Bünyan
Surface Area : 2720
Altitude : 1132 m
Protection: Yes
Bird Species: There are angıt (max.2930).
Main Characteristics: salt lake
Matched category: A4i, B1i, B2
Sultansazlığı
City: Kayseri
Provinces: Develi, Yeşilhisar, İncesu
Surface Area : 39000
Altitude : 1074 m
Protection: Yes
Bird Species: Küçük karabatak (200 pairs), alaca balıkçıl (70 pairs), çeltikçi(75 pairs), kaşıkçı (10 pairs), boz ördek (20 pairs), yaz ördeği (5 pairs), Macar ördeği (400 pairs), pasbaş patka (20 pairs), dikkuyruk (20 pairs), turna (20 pairs), kılıçgaga (150 pairs),bataklıkkırlangıcı (50 pairs), akça cılıbıt (100 pairs), büyük cılıbıt, mahmuzlu kızkuşu (20 pairs), gülen sumru (50 pairs), küçük sumru (100 pairs) and bıyıklı sumru (400 pairs) can be mentioned among the important species reproducing within the area. While angıt (max.2283) prefers the region during summer, huge numbers of flamingo (max. 59.150), turna (max.1200) and kılıçgaga (max.2115) uses the area during autumn. There are numerous water birds (max. 12.801) during winter and immigration period.
Main Characteristics: sweet and salty lakes, steppe
Matched category: A1, A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, B3
Seyfe Lake
City: Kırşehir
Provinces: Mucur, Boztepe
Surface Area : 14000
Altitude : 1110 m
Protection: Yes
Bird Species: It gains important bird areas status with ak pelikan (100 pairs), kaşıkçı(50 pairs), flamingo (2000 pairs), Macar ördeği (15 pairs), toy, kılıçgaga (500 pairs), mahmuzlu kızkuşu (10 pairs), Akdeniz martısı (500 pairs), gülen sumru (500 pairs) and küçük sumru (500 pairs) populations. There are huge numbers of water birds (max. 21.861) during winter, sakarca (max.7200) and angıt (max. 978) are samples of these.
Main Characteristics: salty / light salty lake, steppe
Matched category: A1, A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2. B3
Hirfanlı Dam
City: Kırşehir
Provinces: Evren
Surface Area : 26300
Protection: N/A
Main Characteristics: dam lake
Matched category: A1, A4i, A4iii, B1i
Beynam Forest
City: Ankara
Provinces: Gölbaşı
Surface Area : 2100
Altitude : 1200 - 1521 m
Protection: Yes
Bird Species: It gains important bird areas status with breeding two pairs of şah kartal.
Main Characteristics: forest
Matched category: A1, B2
Kızılırmak Delta
City: Samsun
Provinces: Ondokuzmayıs, Bafra, Alaçam
Surface Area : 16110
Altitude: Sea level
Protection: Yes
Bird Species: It gains important bird areas status with tepeli pelikan (6 pairs), erguvani balıkçıl (500 pairs), kara leylek (50 pairs), kaşıkçı (75 pairs), boz ördek (200 pairs), Macar ördeği (75 pairs), pasbaş patka (150 pairs), turna (50 pairs), kocagöz (50 pairs) and bataklık kırlangıcı (100 pairs) populations. There are large numbers of water birds (max. 91.708), including kaşıkgaga (max.4564), Macar ördeği (max.630), elmabaş patka (max. 14.952), kadife ördek (max. 97), dikkuyruk (max.73) and sakarmeke (max. 27.643) during winter. During immigration important numbers of karabatak (max. 88), küçük ak balıkçıl (max.3200), çeltikçi (max. 590), dikkuyruk (max.1246), küçük martı (max. 41.000) and ak kanatlı sumru (max. 3000) can be observed.
Main Characteristics: sweet water lakes, swamp
Matched category: A1, A4i, A4ii, A4iii, B1i, B1ii, B2
Categories And Criteria
A1 Category : Species, whose generation is world wide under danger Criteria: Area shelters Bird Species, which are regularly considerable numbers of generation under danger.
A2 Category: Narrow spreading area having species Criteria : In the area, it is known or estimated that Bird Species, whose distribution of reproduction populations is composing an Endemic Bird Area - EBA or Secondary Area - SA, and has a narrow spreading area, are present with important ratios.
A3 Category : Species group, whose spreading is limited with biomes Criteria : In the area, it is known or estimated that Bird Species, whose distribution of huge part or whole part of the populations is limited within a biome, are sheltered with important ratios.
A4(i) Category : Groups Criteria : Area, regularly, 1 % of biogeographic population of one or more water bird species, which are present as groups during certain periods, shelters.
A4(ii) Category : Groups Criteria : Area, regularly, 1 % of global population of one or more sea bird or territorial species, which are present as groups during certain periods, shelters.
A4(iii) Category : Groups Criteria : Area, regularly, from one or more species, 20.000 water bird individuals or 10.000 sea bird pairs shelters.
A4(iv) Category : Groups Criteria : Area is functioning as “immigration pass” for immigrant species, which are flying collectively during immigration.
B1(i) Category : Groups Criteria : Area, regularly, shelters the 1 % of an independent population or immigration route of one or more water bird species, which are present as groups during certain periods.
B1(ii) Category : Groups Criteria : Area, regularly, shelters the 1 % of an independent population or immigration route of one or more sea bird species, which are present as groups during certain periods.
B1(iii) Category : Groups Criteria : Area, regularly, shelters the 1 % of an independent population or immigration route of other bird species, which are present as groups during certain periods.
B1(iv) Category : Groups Criteria : Area, during spring and autumn immigrations, functions as an “immigration pass” for storks more than 5000 or birds of prey, pelicans or storks more than 3000.
B2 Category : Negative protection species Criteria : Area is one of the most important “n” areas for a SPEC Category 1, 2, 3 - Protection Condition Negative and important bird areas approach protection complying specie.
B3 Category : Protection condition positive but populations are dense within Europe species Criteria : Area, is one of the most important “n” areas for a SPEC Category 4 - Protection Condition Positive, but dense within Europe and important bird areas approach protection complying specie.
ancak Avrupa’da yoğunlaşmış) ve önemli kuş alanları yaklaşımı korunmasına uygun olan bir tür için ülkedeki en önemli “n” alandan biridir.
Kirşehir Museum: Various period’s findings, Ahilik belonging documents and ethnographic pieces of arts, revealed during studies and excavations performed within the region, beginning from the Asyrian Commercial Colonies, are being exhibited within the Museum.
Museum Tel:(+90-386) 213 33 91
Terrestrial climate is dominant in Kirşehir. While winters are passing cold and hard, it is not continuous like Eastern Anatolia Region. Summers are hot and dry, spring is precipitating and autumn is less rainy.