The Caucasus Gate. Kars is the city referred to as the “Caucasus Gate” of East Anatolia. The city was founded along the eastern banks of the Kars stream, which merges with Arpaçay. The city consists of two parts, Old Kars and New Kars. Old Kars was founded around the Kars Citadel, located on a hill to the north, and its center is the Kaleiçi District. New Kars, which was founded after 1878, extends towards the plain. The vast difference between the new city, which was built according to a systematic plan, where the streets and avenues intersect each other perpendicularly, and the old city with its narrow and irregular streets, can be easily noted. There are also many interesting structures built by the Russians in Kars. The city was occupied by the Russians in 1828, 1855 and 1877 and was under Russian sovereignty for approximately forty years.

The historical Kars Citadel, the symbol of the city, was built by Saltukoğlu İzzeddin Han in 1152. The citadel, which was repeatedly restored, has two sections, the inner citadel and the outer citadel. Only seven of the 220 towers have remained. The Church of the Holy Apostles, which is now a museum, is in the south of the Kars Citadel. The Church was dedicated to the Twelve Apostles in the 10^th century. There are reliefs of the Twelve Apostles along the outside walls of the structure.

Ani is the most important historical city in the environs of Kars. Ani, which was founded as a fortress city, became the capital of the Bagratid Kingdom in the 10^th century. The city walls in the ancient city, Menucehr Mosque, the Seljuk Palace and the Museum-Churches of Nakışlı, Keseli, the Virgin Mary and Abugamrents are all worth seeing.

Sarıkamış, a county of Kars Province, is surrounded by forests and known for its scenic wonders. The monument erected in memory of the Turks who had fallen during the First World War in Sarıkamış  and  the  Hunting  Lodge  built

KARS, famous for its folk dances

for the Russian Czar Nicholas are worth seeing. Sarıkamış is also the winter sports center of the entire region.

Artvin: Famous for its High Plateaus. Artvin, located along the Caucasian border of Turkey, is known for its scenic wonders and mild climate. The most beautiful high plateaus of Turkey are in this province. When spring comes, the residents of the region start preparations to migrate to the high plateaus for animal husbandry. “The Migration to the High Plateau” is a tradition carried out in a festive mood. Kafkasör, Bilbilan, Meşeli, Meydancık, Çamlık, Yaylalar and Yarlık are the most famous high plateaus in Artvin. The Kafkasör Culture and Art Festival is held every summer on the Kafkasör High Plateau. The Çoruh River, the most important river in the province, is ideal for rafting because it is the most rapidly flowing river in Turkey.

Cilo-Sat mountains - HAKKARİ

Mamahatun Complex, Tercan – ERZİNCAN

According to the 2000 census, the population of the region was 6,137,414. 3,255,896 people live in cities and 2,881,518 in villages. The annual population growth rate is 13.75‰ which is below the nationwide average.

Gümüşhane-Bayburt and Dede Korkut. Gümüşhane, which is located in the inland part of the Eastern Black Sea region, is named after the silver deposits in its environs (In Turkish “gümüş” means silver). Süleyman the Magnificent had a mosque and 50 houses built here and named the area. It is stated in Ottoman history that Kastamonu is a “proud and determined” small town. The Hutura Hagios Georgios Monastery Church commissioned by Alexius Comnenus in the 14^th century and the famous Kelkit Plain, through which the Kelkit Spring flows are among the most beautiful places in the city.

Bayburt, located on the bank of the Çoruh River, has a rich historical background and cultural heritage due to the fact that it is an old settlement. The history of the province, which is famous not only for its scenic wonders but also for its citadel, mosques, Turkish baths (hamams), and inscribed gravestones, dates back to 2000 B.C. Due to its location on the historical Silk Road, it was mentioned in the works of Marco Polo and Evliya Çelebi and many western and eastern travelers. The tomb of Dede Korkut, one of the sages who migrated from Central Asia to Anatolia, is also located here. The year 1999 which marked the 1300^th anniversary of his tales was declared the “Year of Dede Korkut” by UNESCO.

A City on Green Ridges. Rize is the greenest province in Turkey. Agriculture is the most important sector in the economic life of the province. Thus, tea, the symbol of Rize, comes to mind. The tea plantations are closely lined up on the terraces in the environs. Along the coast, where there are many tea processing plants, the air smells of tea. At the Tea Festival held in Rize during the summer, a contest is held to select “the best tea grower”.

One can see a panoramic view of Rize with all its beauty from Ziraat Park, which is to the west of the city. The Kaçkar Mountains National Park located to the south and the slopes of this park facing the north   constitute  a  realm of  natural  beauty. It is an ideal place for mountain climbing and trekking, with its glacial lakes, rapidly-flowing streams, high plateaus and mountain villages with cheerful residents.

A Historical Port City. Trabzon is an important and large port on the Black Sea coast. It is the starting point of the transit route to Iran and has connections with the ports of the other countries having shores on the Black Sea. The city was founded by the colonists of Miletus in the 8^th century B.C. Most of the architectural works in the city date back to the Byzantine and Ottoman periods. The most important structure in Trabzon is the Ayasofya (St. Sophia) Museum. This museum is converted from a church constructed in the 13^th century. The decorations at the entrance date back to the Seljuks, and the interior sections of the museum are decorated with various frescoes. The Gülbahar Hatun Mosque is the most beautiful mosque in the city. The old streets of Trabzon give the city a picturesque appearance. The historical houses on the back streets are worth seeing. The Kızlar Manastırı (Girls’ Monastery), dating back to the Comnenian era (14^th century) and the Irene Tower are among the places frequently visited by tourists.

The Altındere National Park is near Maçka to the south of Trabzon. The magnificent Sumela Monastery, which seems almost higher than the clouds, is located in this national park. The monastery, perched on the face of a cliff at a height of 270 meters, assumed its most magnificent form during the reign of the Comnenus King Alexius III. The crowning ceremony of Alexius III was held here in the 14^th century. The monastery has a library, a church, rooms for priests, a chapel, a sacred spring and a kitchen.

There are very beautiful high plateaus in the environs of Trabzon. These are the Erikbeli, Hıdırnebi, Şolma, Kirazlı and Kadırga high plateaus. The famous Kadırga Festival is annualy held in the springtime at the Kadırga High Plateau. Hamsiköy is a famous mountain village to the south of Trabzon, which is known for its delicious food and its scenic wonders.

The Zigana Tunnel, which is the longest highway tunnel in Turkey, is to the south of Hamsiköy. The Zigana Ski Center, with its modern facilities, is located on the old Zigana Mountain road at the upper section of the tunnel, and an attractive place for ski enthusiasts. The silver market in the city is also famous. The famous gold and silver filigree items, and especially bracelets of Trabzon are available only here.

Samsun is an important port in the eastern Black Sea region. Besides its natural beauty, it is also an industrial city. Samsun has an important place in Turkish history as the spot where Atatürk first landed to launch the National War of Independence in Anatolia. The Atatürk monument is the most famous and splendid monument in the city. The Atatürk Museum and Library have exhibits from the National Struggle.

Harvesting tea – RİZE

Ordu is a typical Black Sea town with its hazelnut groves which extend for kilometers. It is known for its holiday resorts on the shores and its plateaus in the mountains. The Çambaşı High Plateau, which has an altitude of 1,250 m., and the Keyfalan Plateau, which has an altitude of 2,000 m., are situated to the south of the city. Ünye, Fatsa, Bolaman, Yalıköy and Perşembe are holiday towns famous for their natural beauty and beaches. The “Golden Hazelnut” Festival is held in Ordu in every autumn.