36 · City guide
Kars
City of Ani, Baltic architecture and kaşar cheese
Kars is a highland city at an elevation of about 1,750 meters, founded in the valley of the Kars Stream. Kars Castle rises above the city, which served as a capital under the Bagratid Kingdom; at the foot of the castle, the 10th-century Kümbet Mosque (Church of the Holy Apostles), the Taş Köprü (Stone Bridge) and the hammams form the core of the old city. During the Russian administration between 1878 and 1918, grid-plan streets and Baltic-style stone buildings were constructed; this fabric gives the city center a distinctive look today. Ani, 45 kilometers to the east on the banks of the Arpaçay, contains the cathedral, churches, mosques and walls of one of the important cities of the Middle Ages and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016. Sarıkamış is visited for its ski slopes amid Scots pine forests and its martyrs' memorials commemorating the soldiers lost in the 1914–15 Sarıkamış Operation. Kuyucuk Lake in Arpaçay is a stop for birdwatchers, while Kars kaşar and gruyère cheeses draw food lovers.
Machine translated — This content was machine-translated and may differ from the original Turkish text.27
Places
3
Routes
0
Badges
Where shall we explore?
Practical information
Machine translated — This content was machine-translated and may differ from the original Turkish text.- Note
- Ani is on the Armenian border; do not leave the marked paths at the archaeological site and do not approach the border. Check muze.gov.tr for museum and site hours
- Climate
- One of Turkey's coldest provinces; winters are long and very cold, summers cool
- Best time
- December–March for skiing and snowy scenery; May–October for Ani, the lakes and bird migration
- Getting there
- Kars Harakani Airport is close to the city center; the Ankara–Kars Doğu Express and the seasonal Touristic Doğu Express terminate in Kars
- Getting around
- The castle, Kümbet Mosque, Taş Köprü and Russian-era buildings can be explored on foot in the center; a car or tour is needed for Ani, Sarıkamış and Kuyucuk Lake