Erzurum

The history of the city of Erzurum dates back 6000 years back, when the first primitive tribes settled here. Apart from this, little is known about the oldest history, that the settlement was certainly in the possession of the Hurytes in turn, Urartians, Medes and Persians. Then came the Sassanids and finally the Romans. Armenians also ruled the city, who today Erzurum called Karin. You know, that in Byzantine times it was called Theodosiopolis (from Emperor Theodosius, who revived an extinct settlement) and after the partition of Armenia between Byzantium and Persia at the end of the 4th century. has become an important fortress, and later even the seat of the bishop. It defended itself against Arab attacks many times, several times to no avail, but it was always recaptured by the Byzantine army. W X w. the name Karin was reverted, especially since an Armenian governor resided here. In the middle of the next century, the Seljuks began to disturb the city, who after the victory over the Byzantine Empire at Manzikert (1071) they finally got hold of Karin. They called it Arz er-Rum, or "Land of the Romans", referring to the Byzantines equated by the Turks with the Romans. Hence the name of the city today. Lying on an important trade route, Erzurum developed without major obstacles, sometimes disturbed by Byzantine armies. W 1241 r. the Mongols conquered them and repeated this feat in 1400 r. led by Tamerlane, who set off from here to the battle with Beyazid and Lightning (the battle was fought at Ankara). W 1515 r. Erzurum fell into the hands of the Ottomans (for Selim 1), and because it was near the borders of Russia, was successively occupied by them in the years 1829, 1878 i 1916. W 1919 r. a congress of the Turkish national organization was held here, chaired by Ataturk. It was on it that the borders of the future Turkish Republic were defined. Exactly 20 years later, the famous earthquake took place, which consumed 40 thousand. victims. The character of the city changed completely then, the old districts have been razed to the ground (even worse was the Erzincan west of Erzurum – there were some great monuments left in ruins). Therefore, today most of Erzurum are new, not necessarily pretty or stylish buildings, but fortunately the most important monuments have been preserved (z ponad 60 half of the mosques have been destroyed).

Drive, orientation, connections

We can get to the city from Sivasu by bus (10 USD, 7 time.), and by train (4 USD, 12 time.). There is no problem getting here from other cities in Turkey, direct bus and train goes here even from Istanbul.

The bus station is located approx. 2 km northwest of the city center, which can be reached on foot or by a dolmus or a city bus. The train station is a bit closer to the center. After leaving the building, we walk straight along the Istasyon Cad. i po ok. 600 m we will find ourselves near the hotel zone. Turn right here after Hotel Sefer, we come to a roundabout, in the middle of Asagi Mumcu Meydani (we can recognize him by a small gas station). There are the most hotels in its vicinity. The city center is centered on the main shopping street – Cumhuriyet Cad.. (running from west to east) and perpendicular to its intersecting Adnan Menderes Cad. (extension of Isatsyon Cad ), in these surroundings we can also find the most important monuments of the city.