Sivas Quick Guide

Hours, fees and timetables can change. Check official announcements before you travel. Prices may change over time.

Sivas Centre: The Historic Square, Congress History and the Old City

The historic core of the city is the square around four large 13th-century buildings that stand very close together: the Twin Minaret Madrasa, the Şifaiye Madrasa, the Buruciye Madrasa and, a little further on, the Gök Madrasa. The Great Mosque of Sivas and the Congress building are nearby. This area is enough for a one-day route.

It helps to read these buildings without stamping "Seljuk" on all of them. The Şifaiye was built in 1217-18 under the Seljuk sultan Izzeddin Keykavus I. The Twin Minaret was built in 1271-72, when Anatolia was under Mongol (Ilkhanid) overlordship, by the Ilkhanid vizier Shams al-Din Juvayni. The Gök and Buruciye madrasas belong to the same years. So the square carries the traces of two different political eras rather than one dynasty.

Note: this image's file name says "Great Mosque", but the scenes do not show the Great Mosque of Sivas, so the caption does not name them as such.

Walking the Square

A sensible order is the Twin Minaret facade, the Şifaiye directly opposite, then the Buruciye, then a short walk to the Gök Madrasa. Allow separate time for the Congress building and the Great Mosque. Which parts are open changes, so check local announcements before you go.

Twin Minaret Madrasa (Çifte Minareli)

According to the TDV Encyclopaedia of Islam, the foundation inscription gives AH 670 (1271-72) and names the Ilkhanid vizier Shams al-Din Juvayni as patron. The madrasa stands in the middle of the city, opposite the Şifaiye. What survives is mostly the front: a monumental portal with two brick minarets. The original plan is described as a rectangular two-storey courtyard with four iwans. The architect's name on the inscription is hard to read, and some researchers suggest Kölük b. Abdullah. Check current use and access locally.

Şifaiye Madrasa (Keykavus Hospital)

The old content left this building out, yet it is one of the most important parts of the square. Sources say it was built in 1217-18 by Sultan Izzeddin Keykavus I, that its inscription carries the date AH 614 (1217), and that the sultan's own tomb is inside the building. At roughly 48 by 68 metres it is described as one of the largest surviving Seljuk hospitals. In the Ottoman period it served as a madrasa, which is why it is known by that name today.

A darüşşifa was not an early "modern hospital". In the medieval Islamic world such institutions combined treatment and medical teaching and were run through endowments. Describing the building in modern hospital terms is misleading. Sources describe its present use differently: some as a museum and research centre, others as a courtyard with a café and souvenir stalls. Check the current situation before you visit.

Buruciye Madrasa

The Buruciye dates to 1271 and is linked to Muzaffer Burucerdi. Sources say it was founded to teach the positive sciences. Some older sources mix up the Buruciye and Şifaiye names, so different guides may use two names for what looks like the same building. Check local announcements for current use.

Gök Madrasa: 1271, Not 1291

The old content said it was built in 1291. That is wrong. Sources place it in 1271, under Sultan Giyaseddin Keyhusrev III, commissioned by his vizier Sahib Ata Fahreddin Ali. Its first name was the Sahibiye. Turkish press names a Konya-born architect, Kaluyan; the Kültür Ansiklopedisi entry gives "Kalûyanü'l-Konevî". The spelling varies by source, so the exact form is uncertain. The name Gök (blue) comes from the blue-turquoise tiles of the facade. A restoration including İznik tile work has been carried out. In 2019 the governor's office announced that the restoration was finished, and the General Directorate of Foundations said it was working to turn the building into a museum. However, an encyclopaedia entry updated in September 2025 says work is still under way. We could not resolve this contradiction. Confirm whether the building is open through the Foundations directorate or the Sivas Governorate.

1271: An Extraordinary Year in Sivas Monumental Architecture

The Twin Minaret (1271-72), the Gök Madrasa (1271) and the Buruciye (1271) belong to the same years. Under Mongol overlordship in Anatolia, viziers and statesmen commissioned monumental madrasas almost as if competing. The Twin Minaret's patron was the Ilkhanid vizier Juvayni; the Gök Madrasa's was Sahib Ata, who had served as a Seljuk vizier. In this sense the square is not one dynasty's showpiece but an open-air museum of a period of rivalry.

Great Mosque of Sivas: Stone Piers, Timber Ceiling, Leaning Minaret

An inscription giving 1196-97 (AH 592) was found during the 1955 repairs. Some researchers propose earlier dates. Attribution varies by source, with some stressing a Seljuk and others a Danishmend tradition. News reports mention the time of Qutbuddin Malik Shah, son of the Seljuk ruler Kilij Arslan II.

"Timber-column mosque" is wrong. The Great Mosque is a multi-aisled cut-stone hall divided by stone piers and pointed arches. It has a timber ceiling and a modern timber entrance porch, but the supports are stone. The "wooden hypostyle" description applies to mosques such as the Eşrefoğlu in Beyşehir. The two types should not be confused.

The famous minaret has a brick shaft with tile decoration. Its date varies in sources from the late 12th century to around 1213. It is described as about 35 metres high and as leaning roughly 116-117 cm from the vertical. Whether the tilt was deliberate or developed later is debated. One expert has said it looks as if it was given deliberately to resist wind, and that a lightning strike also caused problems in the shaft. For an exact angle, consult engineering reports.

A restoration that began on 25 July 2025 is reported, under a protocol between the Regional Directorate of Foundations and the mosque's foundation. The plan is to drill down through the minaret, secure it with steel connections, monitor the tilt with sensors, and then repair the main hall. News reports give the end of 2027 as the target. Check which parts are open before you visit.

The Building Where the Sivas Congress Met

When Atatürk and the Representative Committee reached Sivas in 1919, they worked in this building, which was then a school (Sivas High School). Sources say the congress opened on 4 September 1919, with the end date given as 11 or 12 September. The committee is said to have used the building as its headquarters between September and December 1919. One source gives 1892 for its construction, but since it does not fully match other sources we give no firm date. The building continued as a school and, according to most sources, became a museum in 1990. The most recent comprehensive restoration is reported as 2016.

The older "Atatürk Congress and Ethnography Museum" name appears in sources today in several forms (for example "National Struggle Headquarters" or "Atatürk and Congress Museum"). Check the current official name and hours on muze.gov.tr. We could not verify hours, fees or Museum Pass status, so we give none.

Behrampaşa Han and Kurşunlu Hamam

The Behrampaşa Han is a two-storey urban caravanserai built in the second half of the 16th century by Behram Pasha, governor of Rum. Sources give 1573 or 1576. In the late 19th century (1898-99) it became a cavalry barracks, used by the Ministry of National Defence until 1976. After restoration that began around 2015, it now operates as a boutique hotel, restaurant and café. You can read it as a historic commercial building and, separately, as a present-day business. The Kurşunlu Hamam is described as the bath Behram Pasha had built nearby in the 1570s. The old content's broken "in the ... century in the Ottoman period" sentence has been replaced with these facts. We could not verify the hamam's current operation, so we state no visiting conditions.

Eğri Bridge and the Kızılırmak

Eğri Bridge is a stone bridge over the Kızılırmak, about 3 km from the city centre. Sources describe it with 18 arches and a length of roughly 173-180 metres. It takes its name from a bend of about 45 degrees to the left after its midpoint. No inscription has been found, so its exact date is unknown. "Presumed Seljuk period" is more accurate than "13th century". The old content's arch count was right but its date was not firm. The bridge with 13 openings is the Yıldız River Bridge. We could not verify the bridge's current traffic or pedestrian use.

Other Central Stops

We do not describe the Sivas Museum (archaeology and ethnography collections) or Sivas Castle in detail because we could not verify current visiting conditions. If you want to include them, confirm through official announcements.

UNESCO Status: Which Sivas Site Is on Which List?

UNESCO runs different programmes. The World Heritage List protects a place. Intangible Cultural Heritage lists cover a tradition or practice. A Tentative List is only a country's list of sites it may nominate later and does not make a place World Heritage.

Nature in Sivas: Lakes, Waterfalls and Walking Paths

Sivas's nature routes are far apart. Below, each place is described in its own district, and the place-to-district mix-ups in the old content are corrected. In every case, bear in mind that you need a car or taxi and that winter conditions are different.

The collage beside this text shows a lakeside boardwalk, a multi-stream waterfall and a path along a canyon. It represents the guide's nature routes without being tied to a particular place name. The file name mentions Hafik, Sızır and Şuğul, but we could not confirm from the image which scenes belong to which places.

Gemerek and Sızır Waterfall

Sızır Waterfall lies within the Sızır township of Gemerek district. It forms where the Göksu stream (Sızır Suyu) pours over travertine steps. Sources give a height of about 22 metres, with water falling along seven lines. By ministerial approval dated 21 October 2019, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism registered it as a "Natural Site - Qualified Natural Protection Area". It is described as lying within the Çat forests. It is about 19 km from the Sivas-Kayseri highway.

April 2026 reports say the waterfall reached its highest flow in 20 years, with floodwater turning it muddy. Visitor numbers and water conditions therefore vary a lot with the season. Stay behind the railings and take care on wet ground. We dropped the old generic "Gemerek, known for its natural forests" line because it described no specific place.

Lake Hafik

Lake Hafik is near Hafik district. Sources describe an area of about 67 hectares and a depth of about 5 metres in summer and 3 in winter. It is a breeding ground for resident and migratory birds. According to the governor of Sivas, the reedbeds can shelter around 150 bird species over a year (a 2019 report). The lake is described as a "strictly protected sensitive area". It partly freezes in winter. We removed the old "suitable for camping" line because we found no official facility or rule. Watch birds quietly from a distance at the edges of the reeds. We found no reliable source for archaeological claims such as Bronze Age pile dwellings, so we do not include them.

Zara and Lake Tödürge

Lake Tödürge is in Zara district. It is about 12 km from Zara and about 17 km from Hafik, with a surface of about 350 hectares. Depth figures vary by source. A bird-observation tower and picnic areas are mentioned on its shore. Sources list species such as the great crested grebe and the ruddy shelduck. A 2025 report says that after a hunting ban, large catfish are reducing the birds, and one operator said there were no birds at that moment. So do not count on seeing birds.

Winter safety: January 2026 reports said the lake was completely covered in ice. The old advice to "photograph on the frozen surface" is dangerous. Ice thickness varies, and no part of the lake has been officially declared safe. Do not walk onto it. Take your photos from the shore.

Fishing: we could not verify current fishing rules or season, so we do not recommend fishing as an activity. Camping is mentioned in some sources, but check the official rule with the local authority. Take your rubbish with you.

It would also be incomplete to describe Zara only through Tödürge. The collage beside this text shows round depressions with blue-green pools, a viewing platform and rock-cut cavities on a hillside. We could not verify the names of the places shown, so we do not label them one by one. Nor do we promise other stops around Zara such as historic bridges, caves or waterfalls, because we did not confirm exact names from an official source.

Plan the Zara-Hafik line as a half-day nature route and check winter roads in advance.

Kangal: The Dog, the Balıklı Spring and Sıcak Çermik

The Kangal Shepherd Dog

Kangal is both a district name and the name of a shepherd-dog breed. In FCI records the breed appears as "Kangal Shepherd Dog" under standard no. 331, of Turkish origin. The FCI list shows its acceptance in 1989 and the current standard's publication in 2018. The FCI standard gives its main purpose as guarding sheep. Sources also note a naming split: some clubs call the breed the "Anatolian Shepherd Dog".

We do not use claims such as "the world's strongest dog", "bite force" or "never attacks humans", because they are not backed by an authoritative source. If you meet shepherd dogs, keep away from the flock and do not pet an animal without its owner's consent.

Balıklı Thermal Spring

The Kangal Balıklı Spring is about 13 km from Kangal town and about 98 km from the Sivas city centre (sources range from 10 to 17 km). Water temperature is given in sources as 36-37 °C. The site is said to have eight pools and two hotels, and the operator says it is open all year. The facility is known above all for its "doctor fish" experience.

No treatment claims: we removed the old health and healing wording entirely. This guide makes no health or treatment claims. If you have a health concern, ask your doctor. We give visitor information only.

Sıcak Çermik and Soğuk Çermik

Two separate çermik names appear in Sivas. According to sources, the Sıcak Çermik spa lies 24-31 km from the city centre, while Soğuk Çermik is about 17 km north-east of the city and is a facility run by the municipality. Do not confuse them with the Çermik district of Diyarbakır. We removed the old health-benefit wording entirely. Check current facility and accommodation conditions with the municipality.

Old Claim or Verified Fact? Statements You May Have Seen

Some statements in the old Sivas content, and in many guides, came out differently in our research. The table below sums up the differences.

What to Eat in Sivas

In the old content the food section was thin and in places wrong, and a restaurant list that did not belong to Sivas had been placed in the sidebar by mistake. That entire list has been removed. Below are dishes tied to Sivas that we could support with sources. We name no restaurants, because we have no currently verified list.

What we left out: The old "lamb tandır Sivas kebab" description was not carried over as a generic lamb-tandır account, because the brochure lists "vegetable Sivas kebab". We did not promote Kangal cheese or Sivas honey as general provincial products and removed all health-benefit wording. The brochure mentions Tozanlı Valley organic honey. We could not separate kete and katmer from general Anatolian pastries with a local source, so we did not give them their own entries. The Sivas knife (TÜRKPATENT no. 401, 2018) is not food but is a local product.

How to Get to Sivas and Get Around

High-Speed Train (YHT) and Regular Train

The Ankara-Sivas high-speed line opened on 26 April 2023 and is about 405 km long. According to third-party sources the journey takes about 2 hours 32 minutes to 2 hours 41 minutes, with 3-4 services a day (sources differ). Direct Istanbul-Sivas YHT services have been reported since 4 May 2024 and take about 7 hours 18 minutes. Extra services were announced for 3 July to 14 September 2026. Check TCDD Taşımacılık for current trains and fares. Regional (conventional) trains are separate from the YHT. The Sivas-Divriği regional services fall in this category.

Sivas Nuri Demirağ Airport

According to booking sites, the airport is about 22 km from the city centre. Taxi and bus options are mentioned, and a Havaş shuttle is also said to run. From Istanbul, Turkish Airlines flights are listed from Istanbul Airport and Pegasus and AJet flights from Sabiha Gökçen. Check DHMİ, Turkish Airlines and Havaş for current times and airport transport. We give no flight schedule because we could not verify one from an official source.

Getting Around the City and Districts

The square area is walkable. For points such as Eğri Bridge, think of a taxi or your own vehicle. Divriği, Gürün, Kangal, Zara, Şarkışla and Gemerek are far from one another. How practical public transport or minibuses are depends on the route. For Gökpınar, Şuğul, Tödürge and the highlands, think of your own car, a rental or private transfer. Ask the operator whether a seasonal shuttle runs to Yıldız Dağı.

A Short Video Look at Sivas

Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Sivas