Contents
This important city of the Aegean region, which is known as Afyon among the people but whose official name has been Afyonkarahisar since 2005, comes to the fore with its historical structures and especially thermal tourism. Afyonkarahisar, which hosts thousands of local and foreign tourists every year, is known for its thermal springs, hot and healing waters. Let’s get to know Afyonkarahisar, known as the ” Thermal Capital of Turkey “.
Where is Afyonkarahisar
Afyonkarahisar, a city in the Aegean region, is also a city adjacent to the cities of the Central Anatolia Region.
- Eskisehir in the north
- Konya in the East
- Isparta in the south
- In the west, Denizli, Uşak and Kütahya
Afyonkarahisar, surrounded by the provinces of Afyonkarahisar, is a city at the junction of roads in Western Anatolia.
When to go to Afyonkarahisar
Afyonkarahisar is a city with a continental climate. The city, which receives a lot of precipitation in the autumn months, is very cold and snowy in the winter months.
For this reason, it would be the right choice to arrange your Afyonkarahisar trip according to the spring and summer months.
How Many Days Should I Allocate
Although this subject may change depending on the purpose of your trip, it is possible to say that you can complete your Afyonkarahisar trip in 2-3 days in general.
How to go to Afyonkarahisar
Among the transportation options to Afyonkarahisar, airway (transfer) and road options come to the fore.
Afyonkarahisar does not have an airport. That’s why those who plan to travel by plane to visit the city should use Zafer Airport in Kütahya. Fortunately, it is possible to reach Afyonkarahisar center from Zafer Airport in a very short time. Zafer Airport is only 45 minutes away from Afyonkarahisar.
The most commonly used option for transportation to Afyonkarahisar is by road. If you do not have a private vehicle, you can reach Afyonkarahisar from almost all cities of Turkey by using intercity bus companies. Although the ticket prices vary according to the departure point, the ticket prices and times of the flights from some cities to Afyonkarahisar are as follows;
- Bus services between Istanbul and Afyonkarahisar take approximately 7 hours and ticket prices vary between 150 – 200 TL.
- Bus services between Ankara and Afyonkarahisar take approximately 3 hours and ticket prices vary between 100 and 150 TL.
- Bus services between Izmir and Afyonkarahisar take about 5 hours and ticket prices vary between 100 – 150 TL.
Afyonkarahisar Attractions
As we mentioned at the beginning of our article, Afyonkarahisar is a city famous for its natural underground resources. However, like many Anatolian cities, it is a city with thousands of years of history and therefore has many historical and cultural values. With this aspect, Afyonkarahisar attracts the attention of those who want to follow the traces of history as well as those who prefer it for a thermal holiday.
1. Afyonkarahisar Castle
Afyonkarahisar Castle, located in the city center of Afyonkarahisar, BC. It was built around 1350 during the Hittite period. The castle, which is located on a steep rock and has a height of 226 meters from the ground, fascinates the visitors with its magnificent stance.
There are 4 water cisterns and many temples in the castle, which is one of the symbols of Afyonkarahisar. During the Seljuk period, a mosque and a palace were added to the castle. Afyonkarahisar Castle was a very important place due to its strategic location, especially during the Byzantine and Seljuk periods. There is no entrance fee to the castle, which is one of the places you must visit to see the city view from a bird’s eye view and witness the history, and it is possible to visit it every day of the year.
2. Iscehisar Fairy Chimneys
Most of you probably didn’t know that there are fairy chimneys in Afyonkarahisar, but yes, there are fairy chimneys in Afyonkarahisar too!
There are many fairy chimneys in Afyonkarahisar, which is located on a geologically volcanic land. İscehisar Fairy Chimneys are located in the village of Seyitler, which is approximately 30 km from Afyonkarahisar city center. İscehisar Fairy Chimneys, which appear in different forms with and without a hat, are visited by thousands of local and foreign people every year.
3. Phrygian Valley
Phrygian Valley, named after BC. It is named after the Phrygians living in the geography between Afyonkarahisar, Ankara, Eskişehir (all of these three provinces) and Kütahya (most of them) in the 7th century, that is, 3,000 years ago. In ancient times, this region was called Phrygia. There are also those who compare the region to Nevşehir / Cappadocia in terms of geological structure, so the 2nd Cappadocia.
The hiking trail, also known as the Phrygian way in the Phrygian Valley, is Turkey’s 3rd largest hiking trail. It takes 20 days to walk the entire Phrygian Road, which has a total length of approximately 500 km. Of course, you don’t have to walk the whole track, you can choose to walk some of it. It is also possible to camp on the Phrygian Way, which also has a bicycle path for visitors.
There are many places to see in the Phrygian Valley, which is visited by thousands of people every year, and these are the monuments and tombs that the Phrygians offer in the name of the Mother Goddess Kübele (the goddess of fertility and nature) worshiped by the Phrygians. Located in the “Göynüş Valley Open Air Temple” and “İhsaniye Döğer Region” known as the holy
- Kapikaya
- Aslankaya
- Aslantas
- Yılantaş
- Kumcabogaz
can be counted among them.
Also in the Phrygian Valley
- Ayazin Village Ruins,
- Seyydi Castle,
- Selimiye Cliffs,
- Kirkinler Cliffs
- fairy chimneys
It can be said as another place to visit in the region.
4. Hüdai Hot Springs
Afyonkarahisar is one of Turkey’s leading cities in terms of health tourism. Hüdai Hot Springs is also located in Afyonkarahisar’s Sandıklı district, where Turkey’s most advanced thermal hotels are located in terms of facilities. Hüdai Hot Springs, one of the thermal springs that have been healing the people of the region for years, is one of the places where people with many diseases flock to be healed.
Hüdai Hot Springs, which are known to be good for many diseases (such as rheumatism, joint pain, skin diseases) approved by the Ministry of Health, are among the places that must be visited in Afyonkarahisar.
There are also mud baths, indoor and outdoor swimming pools in Hüdai Thermal Springs, where there are separate hot springs for men and women. There are many restaurants, gift shops, and tea gardens in the surrounding area where you can spend time. It should also be noted that since it is operated by the municipality, it is quite affordable in terms of price.
5. Kırkgöz Bridge
Kırkgöz Bridge is located in the Bolvadin district of Afyonkarahisar. The bridge, which is known to have been built by the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Kommen in 1150, was added to the bridge by Architect Sinan with a length of 200 meters during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, and a prayer hall was added to descend into the water. The bridge, which has reached today as 57 eyes, is visited by thousands of local and foreign tourists every year.
6. Commander-in-Chief National Park
Commander-in-Chief National Park covers the Kocatepe and Dumlupınar regions, where the Great Offensive Battle, one of the turning points in Turkish history, took place. The region, which was declared a national park on November 8, 1981, covers an area of 42,000 hectares.
You can visit the following regions in the Commander-in-Chief National Park.
Kocatepe Section
- Kocatepe Monument and Inscription
- Captain Agah Efendi Cemetery
- Victory Museum
- Great Assault Martyrdom and Commander-in-Chief Mustafa Kemal Monument
- Colonel Reşat Çiğiltepe Martyrdom
Dumlupinar Department
- Zafertepe Monument
- Martyr Sancaktar Mehmetçik Monument
- Şekip Efendi Cemetery
- Three Peaks Cemetery (Great Lions Cemetery)
- Dumlupinar Museum
- Dumlupınar Monument and Atatürk House
- Dumlupinar Cemetery
The entrance fees of the Commander-in-Chief National Park, which you can visit 7 days a week, are as follows;
- Person 3.5 TL
- Discounted Person 1.5 TL
7. Afyon Archeology Museum
One of the places you must visit during your visit to Afyonkarahisar is the Afyon Archeology Museum.
It is known that the settlement in Afyon and the surrounding provinces dates back to ancient times, and many artifacts from the Bronze Age, Phrygian, Hittite, Lidra, Roman and Byzantine periods are exhibited in the city in 9 different halls in the Afyon Archeology Museum.
Opened in 1931, the museum moved to its present building in 1971. There are archaeological details, coins and manuscripts in the museum, where approximately 45,000 works are exhibited. The entrance fee of Afyon Archeology Museum, which you can visit every day of the week except Monday, between 08:30 and 17:30, is 10 TL. If you have a museum card, you can visit it for free.
8. Ice Cave
Located in the Sultandağı district of Afyonkarahisar, Buzluk Cave is located at the highest point of the Sultandağları with 2,519 meters. It should be noted that it is quite difficult to go to the Ice Cave, but what you will encounter when you reach the region will make you happy.
Known for its ice that does not melt even in summer, the Ice Cave consists of 3 levels. While the temperatures are normal in the entrance area, it gets colder as it goes down and pieces of ice begin to appear. The shapes of the ice floes inside the cave offer extraordinary views. Although there is a large area for walking inside the Ice Cave, the entrance section is very narrow, so the entrances can be made one by one. After about 5 meters after the entrance, there is icing on the ground and the icicles and crystals in the cave offer a pleasant view to its visitors. As the name suggests, it is quite cold inside the cave, so the best time to visit Buzluk Cave is during the summer months.
9. Lake Eber
Eber Lake is located between Bolvadin and Çay districts of Afyonkarahisar. Hosting cormorants and dalmatian pelicans, Lake Eber is one of the most popular lakes not only in Afyonkarahisar but also in Turkey. The deepest part of Lake Eber, which is Turkey’s 12th largest lake, reaches up to 21 meters. Another thing that makes Eber Lake interesting, which was accepted as a first-degree natural site in 1992, is the islets in the lake, which we can call “floating islets”, which the local people call “kopak” and which are formed by reed roots.
10. Yedikapılar Monastery
Yedikapılar Monastery is one of the historical places you should definitely see on your trip to Afyonkarahisar.
Yedikapılar Monastery, located 60 km from the center of Afyon, is 3 km northeast of Kemerkaya village in Bolvadin district. Although the exact date of its construction is not known, it is estimated that it was built during the Byzantine period between the 8th and 10th centuries. Yedikapılar Monastery, where transportation is very easy, consists of churches and rooms carved into the surface of a tuff rock.
11. Heybeli Thermal Spring
The history of Heybeli Spa, located in Bolvadin district, about 30 km from Afyon city center, dates back to ancient times. The water of Heybeli Thermal Spring, which was also used in Roman and Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods, dates back to BC. It is thought to have sprung up in the plain following the great earthquakes that took place in 295. The water of the Heybeli Thermal Spring, which has an average temperature of 56 °C, is good for many diseases. Heybeli Hot Spring, also known as “Scabies Bath”, is also called “Red Church”, especially because it is good for skin diseases and scabies. The name “Red Church” derives from the church located near the town before the region passed under Turkish rule.
12. Victory Museum
The Victory Museum is located in the city center of Afyonkarahisar, opposite the “Victory Monument”. The two-storey building, which was built by Saitoğlu Mehmet Sait Efendi in 1915-1920, has been serving as the Victory Museum since 1985. This building is also the place where the Battle of the Commander-in-Chief was planned and the attack order was given. You can get extensive information about the Battle of the Commander-in-Chief at the Victory Museum.
Some rooms of the museum;
- Commander-in-Chief Mustafa Kemal Pasha
- Western Front Commander İsmet İnönü
- Chief of the General Staff Fevzi Cakmak
- Tevfik Bıyıkoğlu, Director of the Western Front Operations Branch
Specially arranged and exhibited in his memory.
