4 Days in Kayseri: Day-by-Day Itinerary

Historic & Cultural

Hunat Hatun Complex

The Hunat Hatun Complex is a historic Islamic religious complex in Kayseri, Turkey. Early in the 13th century, Kayqubad I, Sultan of the Anatolian Selçuks, captured the Alanya fortress from its Armenian ruler, Kir Vart. One of the conditions of Vart's surrender was that his daughter Hunat Mahpari Khatun would become the sultan's wife.

Museums

Kayseri Archaeology Museum

Kayseri Archaeology Museum is a museum in Kayseri, Turkey. Kayseri Archeology Museum, which has been serving here for about 50 years, has been moved to the new museum building within the Kayseri Castle and has been opened to visitors since 19 October 2019. In the new museum, there are 14 exhibition halls in chronological order. The works in the exhibition halls date from the Chalcolithic Age to the Late Osmanlı period. The address now is Cumhuriyet Mahallesi, Kaleiçi Meydan Kümeevler, No: 1, Melikgazi/Kayseri.

Historic & Cultural

Kayseri Castle

Kayseri Castle is a castle built in antiquity and first mentioned in a coin during the rule of Gordian III between 238 and 244 AD. It went through multiple additions starting with the Romans, continuing with the Byzantines, Danishmends, Seljuqs, Dulqadirs, Karamanids, and Ottomans. The castle, located in the eponymous city, is made of an inner and an outer section with a total of 18 towers.

Museums

Çifte Madrasah

Çifte Medrese, also known as the Gevher Nesibe Medical Complex is a 13th-century medical and educational complex located in Kayseri, Turkey. It is considered one of the earliest examples of medical schools in the Islamic world, and possibly the first of its kind in Anatolia combining a hospital with a medical madrasa. Çifte Medrese, one of the Anatolian Seljuk madrasahs, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2014.

Closed every Monday

Religious Sites

Blessed Virgin Mary church (Kayseri)

The Church of Mother Mary (Meryem Ana Kilisesi), located in Melikgazi, is a three-nave basilica believed to have been built in the 19th century and took its current form with additions and repairs between 1838 and 1875. It has been restored by Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality and now serves as the City Library. It is within walking distance of Surp Krikor Lusavoriç Church (783 m), Kayseri Castle (405 m), and Hunat Hatun Complex (406 m). The nearest public transport stop is Cumhuriyet Square tram stop (539 m).

Religious Sites

Ulu Mosque, Kayseri

Kayseri Grand Mosque is a mosque built towards the middle of the 12th century, located in the city center in Kayseri province, Turkey. At the time it was built, it was the largest structure in Kayseri.

Religious Sites

Saint Gregory the Illuminator Church, Kayseri

Surp Krikor Lusavoriç Armenian Church is an Armenian Apostolic Church located in Kayseri, Turkey, and first built in the 12th century.

Historic & Cultural

Kapalı Çarşı

Kayseri Covered Bazaar is a historic commercial center located in the Melikgazi district. It is one of Turkey's oldest bazaars and is known as the second-largest covered bazaar after Istanbul's Grand Bazaar. The bazaar began to develop in the mid-15th century during the Ottoman period, with its first structure being the Bedesten. Today, it sells local products such as spices, pastırma, and sucuk, as well as traditional handicrafts like carpets and jewelry. It is within walking distance of Kayseri Archaeology Museum (147 m), Kayseri Castle (172 m), and Hunat Hatun Complex (319 m). The nearest public transport is Cumhuriyet Meydanı tram stop (221 m).

Historic & Cultural

İbrahim Tennuri Türbesi

The İbrahim Tennuri Tomb, located in Melikgazi, Kayseri, is a historic site dedicated to the 15th-century Sufi poet İbrahim Tennuri. The tomb is considered one of the last examples of classical Seljuk cupolas, featuring a hexagonal plan and a single story. Inside, there are sarcophagi belonging to İbrahim Tennuri, his son and successor Sheikh Lütfullah, and his other son Ali Sultan. The tomb was built between 1484 and 1485 during the reign of Sultan Bayezid II. It is 455 meters from the Cumhuriyet Meydanı tram stop.

Museums

Milli Mücadele Müzesi

The National Struggle Museum, located in Melikgazi, Kayseri, opened in 2016 in the historical Kayseri High School building. The museum tells the story of the Turkish War of Independence, Anatolia's contribution to the national struggle, and the heroes of the national struggle. It also highlights the importance of Kayseri High School in educational history and the notable figures who graduated from it. The nearest public transport stop to the museum is Cumhuriyet Square tram stop, 590 meters away.

Religious Sites

Han Mosque (Kayseri)

Han Camii, located in Melikgazi, Kayseri, is a place of worship built during the Seljuk period in the 13th century. It is believed that the structure was originally constructed as a caravanserai and later converted into a mosque. It is a square-plan building made of cut stone, notable for its domeless interior dominated by a central vault with six windows. Next to the mosque is the tomb of Emir Cemaleddin Bin Tanrıbirmiş, dated to 1188. The nearest public transport to Han Camii is the Hunat tram stop, 700 meters away.

Turkish Baths & Spa

Kadı Hammam

Kadı Hamamı, located in Melikgazi, Kayseri, was built in 1542 by Kadı Bedreddin Mahmud. This historic structure was designed as a double bathhouse, featuring separate sections for men and women. The hammam is within walking distance of Kayseri Archeology Museum (343 m), Kayseri Castle (380 m), and Hunat Hatun Complex (542 m). The Cumhuriyet Meydanı tram stop is 329 m away, and the bathhouse is open 24/7.

Historic & Cultural

Emir Shahap Tomb

Emir Şahap Tomb, located in Melikgazi district of Kayseri, is a historical structure built in 1327-1328. The tomb stands out with its simple and geometric decorations and contains three marble tombstones belonging to Emir Şahap and his relatives. The structure consists of mummy and prayer sections. It is located 402 meters from Hunat tram stop.

Historic & Cultural

Alaca Kümbet

Alaca Kümbet, located in the Melikgazi district of Kayseri, is a Seljuk-era monumental tomb built in the 12th century for Emir Sadreddin Ömer bin Celaleddin Muhammed. Constructed from cut stone, the kümbet has a square plan up to its mid-section, with a conical roof on the upper part. While the interior is plain, the decorations are concentrated around the north entrance door and the window on the west facade. The kümbet is 515 meters from the Hunat tram stop and within walking distance of Hunat Hatun Complex (259 m), Kayseri Castle (376 m), and Kayseri Archeology Museum (410 m).

Religious Sites

Hunat Camii

Hunat Mosque, located in Melikgazi, Kayseri, is part of a complex built in 1238 by Mahperi Hunat Hatun, wife of Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I and mother of Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev II. This complex, consisting of a mosque, madrasa, Turkish bath, and tomb, is a significant example of Seljuk architecture. The mosque's minaret was added during the reign of Abdulhamid II. It is 316 meters from the Hunat tram stop and within walking distance of Hunat Hatun Complex (71 m), Kayseri Castle (247 m), and Kayseri Archeology Museum (291 m).

Museums

Atatürk's House Museum

Atatürk House Museum is a museum located in the city of Kayseri, Turkey. Opened in 1983, the museum exhibits items belonging to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Shopping

Kayseri Park

Kayseri Park is a shopping mall located in Melikgazi, Kayseri. Opened in 2006, this five-story shopping center features 130 national and international stores. Kayseri Park is accessible from the Tuna tram stop (412 m) and offers wheelchair access.

Historic & Cultural

Kültepe

Kültepe, also known under its ancient name Kaneš or Neša, is an archaeological site in Kayseri Province, Turkey. It was already a major settlement at the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC, but it is world-renowned for its significance at the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC. The archaeological site consists of a large mound, and a lower city, where a kārum was established in the beginning of the 2nd Millennium BC.

Historic & Cultural

Zeynel Abidin Tomb

The Zeynel Abidin Tomb, located in Melikgazi district of Kayseri, is dedicated to Zeynel Abidin, a prominent figure of the Rufai order. The current tomb was built in 1886 during the reign of Abdul Hamid II, on the site of Zeynel Abidin's grave. It is a square-planned structure with a dome, and an inscription written by Kayseri's judge and poet Fevzi is found on its entrance gate. The tomb is within walking distance of Cumhuriyet Square tram stop (267 m), Hunat Hatun Complex (138 m), Kayseri Castle (163 m), and Kayseri Archeology Museum (195 m).

Historic & Cultural

Döner Kümbet

Döner Kümbet, located in Melikgazi, Kayseri, is a historic site built in the last quarter of the 13th century, around 1276, for Princess Sah Cihan Hatun, daughter of Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I. This striking mausoleum is known for its cylindrical body and twelve-sided exterior, richly adorned with floral and geometric motifs, as well as figural reliefs including human-headed lions and a double-headed eagle. It is situated in the city center, opposite the Seyyid Burhanettin Cemetery, and is within walking distance of Meryem Ana Kilisesi (Kütüphane) (657 m), Atatürk Evi Müzesi (734 m), and Emir Şahap Türbesi (692 m).

Religious Sites

Yaman Dede Mosque

Yaman Dede Mosque, located in the Talas district of Kayseri, was originally built as the Panaya Church in 1886 by Metropolitan Ionnis during the reign of Sultan Abdülhamit. The structure was converted into a mosque in 1925 and combines both Ottoman stonework and Greek church architecture. Shops serving cultural purposes are located under the terrace section of the mosque. Yaman Dede Mosque is currently open for worship and is among Kayseri's important historical buildings.