Kutahya City Guide

Kutahya City Guide

Kütahya is located in the Inner Western Anatolia Subregion of the Aegean Region. The earliest known inhabitants of the region, which has been home to the Phrygian, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, Germiyanid, and Ottoman civilizations, are the Hittites. The archaeological finds from the area surrounding the city center takes the date of Kütahya's foundation as a settlement area to older times and as far as Antiquity. As a result of its rich mineral deposits which are still active, Kütahya has attracted attention throughout history. Thus, it has possessed broad trade routes and developed rapidly. Additionally, Kütahya has a proud heritage as the place where one of the biggest military victories in Turkish History was won.

Tourist Attractions

Kütahya Castle, which has survived from Antiquity, was first built in the 5th century by the Byzantines. Its fortification walls were strengthened through repairs and additions by the Seljuks, Germiyanids, and Ottomans. The closely placed towers of the castle -made up of three parts which are upper, inner, and lower- are made of a rubble-ashlar mixture and rows of brick. There are also two fountains, two masjids, a revolving nightclub that was built in the Republican Era, and a country cafe in Kütahya Castle.

The Great Mosque, also known as Yıldırım Beyazıt Mosque, can be seen in the neighborhood of Börekçiler in the city center. Located right next to it, Umur-bin Savcı Madrasah and Yakup II İmaret (Ottoman soup kitchen) are other monuments to be seen. The construction of the building, which is described as the largest and most beautiful mosque in Kütahya, was started at the end of the 14th century during the rule of Yıldırım Bayezid and finished in 1401. The rectangular mosque without a courtyard went under major repairs in 1893 during the rule of Abdul Hamit II and took its final shape with a dome.

In addition to the Great Mosque, another place to see in the city center is a mevlevihane (Mevlevi house). This structure, known as Dönenler Mosque, was built as the semahane -sama (a Sufi ceremony) hall- of the Mevlevihane in the 14th century. The first mevlevihane of Kütahya, one of the unique examples of the early period Anatolian architecture, has undergone repairs twice; and only the semahane and the dervish cabins survived to our day.

The Tiled Mosque, located in the Maltepe neighborhood of the city center also, is a relatively newer mosque that was ordered to be built by the painter and ney player Ahmet Yakupoğlu in 1973. However, the structure and its adornments deserve to be seen as an example of the Central Asian Turkish architecture in Anatolia.

The tombs of the famous traveler, writer, and folklorist Evliya Çelebi of Kütahya and his grandfather Kara Ahmet Bey is another place to see in the neighborhood of Maltepe -formerly called Zeryen. The tomb was built in 1995 in the Ottoman architectural style. The building, where the famous 17th century traveler was born serves as the Evliya Çelebi House of Culture and Art today. The house was rebuilt next to the tomb of his grandfather Kara Ahmet Bey with the contributions of the municipality and the Kütahya Evliya Çelebi Association of Culture, Services, and Historical Artifacts Restoration. The old structure that is located next to the townhouse was publicized by the Kütahya Municipality and turned into a center where traditional handicrafts are carried on. The Evliya Çelebi Monument, which was built in honor of the traveler in 2002, was placed at the entrance of Kütahya from the Eskişehir direction.

Culture & Entertainment

Museums, Public Squares, Historical Locations, Monuments

It is difficult to pinpoint a definite date of foundation for Kütahya. However, according to the IV. Tuthaliya (1256-1220 BC) almanacs concerning the history of Assuva in Hittite texts; it can be said that Kütahya was founded in the middle of II thousand BC for the first time. Kütahya, which met Turkish civilizations at the end of the XI. Century after the Battle of Manzikert, served as the capital city of the Anatolian beylik of Germiyan and then came under Ottoman rule.

The most interesting cultural heritage of the city is, without a doubt, the Turkish covered bazaars called bedesten. The two arastas -a type of Ottoman bazaar-, located between Takvacılar Mosque and Saadettin Mosque and through which Kavaflar Street passes, are worth seeing. These two structures, which have the appearance of covered bazaars, were constructed within the same time frame and -with the unification of the stores that are opposite of each other- became the commerce center of Kütahya.

The Great Bazaar (Büyük Bedesten) which was ordered to be built in the 15th century by Gedik Ahmet Pasha, was used as a fruit and vegetable market until 2008. It was restored with the grant given by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and now is being used as a display and sales area of traditional handicrafts. The Small Bazaar (Küçük Bedesten) which was renovated in the same year; was previously used as a trade area of old and new objects and following the renovation done by the Kütahya Municipality serves as a “jewellers' market”.

ENTERTAINMENT:
Parks, Games, Events, and Natural Areas
Located on the graben system of the Aegean Region, Kütahya is one of the richest cities in Turkey in terms of geothermal resources. This is why Kütahya is also called the capital of geothermal tourism. 8 of the 65 thermal tourism centers in the country, which were declared by a decree of the Turkish Cabinet, are located in Kütahya. These resources which have very high thermal values lead to a widespread operation of health tourism. The thermal waters in the region provide cure to domestic and foreign tourists for various ailments from rheumatism and gynecological diseases to neurological diseases.

As 54% of Kütahya's geography is covered with forests, there are rich natural beauties on every corner. You can take advantage of resting and camping opportunities for a day or longer. In numerous places such as Eğrigöz Mountain, Murat Mountain, Yeşildağ (“Green Mountain”), Akdağ (“White Mountain”), Simav Mountain, Yellice Mountain, Türkmen Mountain, Şaphane Mountain, the Phrygian Valley, Çamlıca, Gölcük Plateau, and Domaniç Forests; there are areas for nature walks.

KÜTAHYA IN ONE DAY
If you need to explore Kütahya in one day, you should visit the 150-year-old Turkish mansions on Germiyan Street, the house where Lajos Kossuth was a guest, and the museums. You should definitely include the Ancient Roman city of Aizanoi, the fairy chimneys in the Phrygian Valley, the sepulchres, and the chapels in your itinerary. Do not leave out Zafertepe which bore witness to the Turkish War of Independence, the Dumlupınar Cemetery, the castle and the local dishes served in Döner Gazino (Revolving Nightclub) within.

CITY TOURS AND TRANSPORTATION
Urban public transportation services in Kütahya are provided by Private Public Buses. There are 15 bus routes that operate in almost every region of the city. Also, Dumlupınar University campus buses that leave from the bus station make transportation between the city center and the university easier. Additionally, you can use taxicabs as an economical option for transportation.

NEARBY LOCATIONS
The Great Mosque (Ulu Camii) in the district of Tavşanlı is one of the unique monuments to be seen. The structure, which resembles early Ottoman monuments in terms of the construction technique, does not bear inscriptions. The large middle dome was placed on top of the angular quadruped arches; while eight small half domes were placed on the sides.

Simav Ağa Mosque, which was ordered to be built by Nasuh Ağa – one of the last Ottoman feudal lords to whom the districts of Emet and Simav belonged- in 1789 can be seen in the district with the same name. The renovation of the mosque, which is one of the beautiful examples of stonemasonry, was carried out in a way that is true to the original, in 1990.

In the district of Şaphane; Kocaseyfullah Mosque, an example of wooden architecture that is interesting for its historical and cultural value, can be seen. Kocaseyfullah Mosque, which is approximately 700 years old, is believed to have been built by the beylik of Germiyan. It is known that the mosque was also used as an observatory.

Food & Drink

The cuisine of Kütahya is largely made up of foods that are gathered and preserved at home. The tradition of drying vegetables from the summer such as peppers, beans, and eggplant is being carried on. In addition to drying vegetables, the locals also prepare staple foods such as salça (tomato or pepper paste), erişte (noodles), bulghur, starch, tarhana (a type of fermented dried food), and pickles at home. Despite the change in dietary habits, the flat bread with poppy seeds cooked on sheet iron called “şibit” is still widely made.

Pastries are also quite various: gökçümen hamursuzu, şibit, gözleme (a type of griddlecake), and şibit with spinach are only a few kinds. A type of dumpling dish called “cimcik” is the main dish unique to the area. The core of the local dietary habit is made up of wheat products, dumpling dishes and dairy. Erişte-also called homemade pasta-, bulghur, and tarhana are among foods that are most commonly consumed in the area.

Restaurants claiming a place in the city life took place fairly recently. The restaurants, which were starting to be opened in the area in the 1960s used to be called “cook shops.”

Shopping

The porcelain and tile of Kütahya are world-renowned. You can stop by the tile stores in Kütahya Caravanserai to buy a rich variety of beautifully handcrafted tiles. You come across stores selling these products in almost every part of the city. If you would like to buy jewellery in which tiles and precious stones meet silver, you can stop by Kestaş on the road to Eskişehir. If you would like to see and buy some traditional clothing and embroidery, you can go to the Rüstem Pasha Madrasah Center of Handicrafts and the Germiyan Mansion.

The districts also make a name for themselves with local products. You can buy leblebi (a snack made of roasted chickpeas) from Tavşanlı, göl fasulyesi (a type of bean) from Simav, tarhana from Gediz, and cherries and sourcherries from Şaphane and Pazarlar.