Isparta City Guide
Isparta, located in the southwestern part of Turkey, is situated in the area known as “Lakes Region” where the Aegean, Mediterranean, and Central Anatolia regions intersect. The geography of the region is interesting for Eğirdir, Kovada, and Gölcük lakes,Kovada and Kızıldağı National Parks and many more natural beauties. A large portion of the population of Isparta makes a living from agriculture. The second and third place in terms of livelihood are claimed by service and industrial sectors. The city has a well-deserved fame as Turkey's production center of rose and rose oil. The rose oil that is produced here is sold to primarily France; and also England, the United States of America, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and some Arab countries.
Tourist Attractions
The roses that are used in oil production are known to have been brought to Anatolia by Bulgarian immigrants towards the end of the XIX. Century. In Isparta, on the other hand, the cultivation of roses suitable for oil production and the production of rose oil for the first time, took place respectively in 1888 and 1892 by Müftüzade İsmail Efendi.
Isparta and its vicinity have an ecosystem that is quite suitable for production of apples. A significant portion of the farm families work in apple production. The majority of the apple gardens are small-sized family establishments of 50-1000 trees. The places where these gardens are located in concentration are Eğirdir, Gelendost, Senirkent, Gönen, Yalvaç, Uluborlu, and Atabey.
The ancient region of Pisidia is a region that has welcomed many religions from polytheistic to monotheistic ones, from prehistoric times to ours. In the region where Christianity rapidly spread, the nuns who have converted to Christianity chose the island of Nis in Eğirdir for themselves to reside in, known as Yeşilada today, for its physical location.
Another one of the spots of religious significance in the district of Eğirdir is the town of Barla. It is understood from ancient sources that the oldest known name of Barla is Parlais. Roman era artifacts, Roman Bridge, and two sepulchres can be seen.
The church in the ancient city of Antioch in Pisidia, located 1 km away from the center of the district of Yalvaç, is deemed important by Christians. The journey that begins with the departure of St. Paul, St. Barnabas, and St. John -of the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ- from the port of Paphos in Cyprus to Attalia (Antalya); ends with St. Paul and St. Barnabas going to Antioch in Pisidia in Yalvaç by going through the cities of Gebiz and Adada over the city of Perge. St. Paul also gives the first official sermon of Christianity in the temple called by his name, in Yalvaç.
The old route called St. Paul's Road is also known as King Road and remains a significant spot of exploration. The route, which is said to be drawn in 46 BC, provides the opportunity for tens of themed tours such as those for travelers, nature explorers, observation of birds and endemic species, photography, and sports. Walking St. Paul's Road, which takes five weeks, means seeing the traces of civilizations of 3 thousand years. The road, which can be passed during all times of the year except winter, can be followed through two different routes.
Culture & Entertainment
Isparta Museum, mosques, the Covered Bazaar, Historical Houses of Isparta, Ruins of Kapıkaya, and the Turkish baths are the first cultural spots that stand out.
Kutlubey (Ulu) Mosque is one of the top places to be seen in the city center. On the interior surfaces of this mosque, which dates back to 1429, the hand-drawn adornments and medallions stand out. Its minaret is located separate from the mosque at the western edge of the northern facade. The existence of a mosque built by the Seljuks formerly in place of Kutlubey Mosque is understood from the remains that were discovered from its foundation.
Hızırbey Mosque is located in the neighborhood of Keçeci. It was built in the name of Hızırbey, the son of Felek al-Din Bey -who was the founder of the Hamid Dynasty (Hamidoğulları Beyliği)- who took the latter's place after his death. Hacı Abdi Mosque, or İplik Pazarı Camii (Thread Bazaar Mosque) as it is more commonly known, was built in the vicinity of the bazaar by a wealthy man of Isparta called Abdi Ağa in 1569. Firdevs Pasha Mosque, located near the grape market, is another one of the oldest mosques of Isparta. The mosque, which was built during the rule of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in 1561 by the governor of Isparta Firdevs Pasha in the style of Mimar Sinan, is thus called Mimar Sinan Mosque as well.
Among mosques to see in the districts of Isparta are Atabey Sinan Mosque, Eğirdir Hızırbey Mosque, Barla Çeşnigir Sinan Pasha Mosque, Yılanlıoğlu Mosque, Sütçüler Sefer Ağa Mosque, Şarkikaraağaç Ulu Mosque, Uluborlu Alaaddin Mosque, and Yalvaç Devlethan Mosque.
Aya Baniya (Aya Payana) Church is located in one of the very old settlement areas of the city-the neighborhood of Turan. The church, which is believed to have been built in the 1750s has one entrance each from the north, west, and east sides. The roof of the church, the ceiling of which was made of wood and the outer facade of which was covered with mortar, was completely renovated in 1999.
Aya Ishotya (Aya Yorgi) Church can be seen in the neighborhood of Doğancı. Its date of construction is between 1857 and 1860. The inscription about the museum, which used to be located at its entrance, is located in Isparta Museum today. Another detail is that the incription is in Turkish but written with the Roman alphabet.
Emre Neighborhood Church was completed in 1794 with the construction of a church in the neighborhood of Emre, on an old church's foundation following an edict during the rule of Sultan Selim III which allowed the building of a place of worship by non-Muslims as well. Today, the church is demolished and a house sits on its foundation. There are black pillars of approximately 5 meters tall each, around it.
Aya Stefanos (Yeşilada) Church: It can be seen in Yeşilada, in the district of Eğirdir. Aya Georgios Church, located in the Rum neighborhood in the town of Barla can also be visited in this vicinity.
Caravanserais of Isparta are works from the Seljuk era that are monuments of historical significance. The caravanserais are both military and civilian. All of the caravanserais within the city limits of Isparta are located on the Konya-Antalya route. Eğirdir Caravanserai in the Yeni neighborhood, is located on the lakeshore 3 km south of the district center. The structure is one of the biggest Seljuk caravanserais. The caravanserai is known to have been built by Ghiyath al-Din Kaykhusraw II in 1237.
Gelendost Caravanserai is also known as Kudret Caravanserai and is located in the locality of Yeşilköy east of Lake Eğirdir. According to the information on its inscription, Mubarezettin Ertokuş had the caravanserai built in 1233.
ENTERTAINMENT
Parks, Games, Events, and Natural Areas
Aksu Valley comprises of a 22182 hectares. It spreads over Eğirdir, Ağlasun, Sütçüler, Bucak, and the city center of Isparta. Aksu Valley, the altitude of which varies between 250 and 1500, is home to numerous species that are endangered on a global scale. A part of the region, which is also the habitat of the griffon vulture, is under protection as a natural park.
Köprüçay Valley; which encompasses the districts of Sütçüler, Manavgat, İbradı, and Serik, comprises of a 147045 hectare area. Akseki-İbradı Forests are located east of this valley; which neighbors Dedegöl Mountain to the north and Aksu Valley to the south. Köprülü Canyon National Park, which is spread over a 60 kilometer area on the north-south axis, is among places to see in this vicinity. A high number of endemic species that can only be found in this region -of everywhere in the whole world- live in this valley, which is extremely rich in terms of plant species. Rare species such as the levant sparrowhawk, short-toed snake eagle, golden eagle, horseshoe bat, and lump-nosed bat are some of such species.
Dedegöl Mountain, which emcompasses the districts of Şarkikaraağaç, Gelendost, Eğirdir, Yenişarbademli, Aksu and Sütçüler; comprises of a 138568 hectare area. As a result of its location at the transition point between the Central Anatolia and Mediterranean regions, there are plants that are found in both regions in this area, the altitude of which varies between 820 and 2992.
Mount Davraz-Karlıyayla Winter Sports Tourism Center is a popular ski resort in the fastly developing Turkey of recent years that caters to skiers of all levels due to its suitable topography. It attracts attention from not only Turkey; but also Europe, Russia, Ukraine, and Middle Eastern countries; as a result of its perfect route and accessibility.
Davraz can be seen approximately 26 km away from the city center of Isparta.
ISPARTA IN ONE DAY
Although it is possible to explore the city center with its historical and cultural structures in one day; not seeing the geographical richness that starts in the vicinity and expands, would be a great loss. If you have set one day aside for Isparta, you should definitely include natural areas in that day. There are eight important natural areas in Isparta. Those are Aksu Valley, Barla Mountain, Dedegöl Mountain, Sultan Mountains, Lake Beyşehir, Lake Gölcük, Lake Eğirdir, and Köprüçay Valley.
CITY TOURS AND TRANSPORTATION
Inner city transportation is provided by public buses, minibuses, and taxis. Isparta, which has a relatively even and flat city center, is suitable for walking and riding bicycles.
NEARBY LOCATIONS
There is so much to do and see in the vicinity of the city, that it is truly difficult to complete them in full.
In the ancient city of Adada, you can walk on the largest ancient road that is covered with rocks in Turkey. From Sivridağ, on the Davraz-Eğirdir course, you can take photographs of Lake Eğirdir. You can visit the Yazılı Canyon National Park. Yazılı Canyon is located in the Sütçüler district of the city of Isparta. The reason why this canyon that is located in the national park of the same name is called “Yazılı (meaning “written”), is the presence of “A Poem on the Free Man” by the ancient Greek poet Epictetus written on a large rock in the canyon. Because St. Paul passed through this canyon on his way from Perge to Antioch in Pisidia, the canyon is considered among holy places by Christians.
You can experience the natural beauty of Kovada and Eğirdir lakes to the fullest. Lake Kovada is a natural extension of Lake Eğirdir. The rich vegetation that surrounds the lake, which has arrived in its current state by the narrow valley filling up with alluvium, and the wildlife it harbors is glamorous. It is possible to reach Lake Kovada by following the sign to the right on Isparta-Eğirdir-Konya highway and following the Sütçüler-Eğirdir junction on the Antalya-Isparta highway. Lake Kovada and its vicinity, which became a national park in 1970 and a First Degree Natural Protection Area in 1992, is known to be a significant recreational area. Within the borders of the national park of 6 thousand 534 hectares, there are 153 aquatic bird species and numerous wild animals; in addition to plant species such as the Turkish pine, European black pine, Turkey oak, Eurasian smoke tree, and wild rose. Carp, fresh water bass, and lobster can be caught in the lake, with a monitoring system in place. In the national park, there are areas set aside for caravans, tent camps, picnics, and walking.
Food & Drink
Meat dishes are prepared with vegetables, yogurt, rice, and bulgur. Banak, Çömlek Kebab, Kabine, Keşkek, Tandoor Kebab, Tirit, and Yoğurtlu Et (Meat with Yogurt) are among dishes that are commonly consumed. The dishes made with potatoes, chickpeas, beans, and meat are called “yahni (stew)”.
Dishes made with herbs deserve a section of their own. Herbs that are locally called bici bici (madımak), semiz, ebegümeci, tavuk kursağı, ümmü, sirken, ısırgan, kuzu kulağı, toklu başı, pancarlık, and labada are picked from the fields, cleaned, and cooked.
Soups hold a significant place in the cuisine of Isparta; it is known that there are approximately 16 kinds of soup. After the soups are cooked, they are served with the addition of boiling butter, mint, and red pepper. Depending on the kind; garlic, onions, tomato or pepper paste, and lemon are added as well.
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