Topkapı Palace
The sultans’ palace on Sarayburnu: courtyards, the Imperial Council, the treasury and the terraces over the water. Dated entry, sold online on its own site.
Erzurum Castle
A hilltop citadel in the heart of Erzurum, with an inner fortress, eight surviving towers and the early Turkish-Islamic Tepsi Minaret.
About the museum
The exact date of Erzurum Castle is unknown, but it is thought to have been built by the Byzantines in the first half of the fifth century. Over the centuries it passed repeatedly between Assyrians, Sasanians, Persians, Arabs, Romans and Byzantines before falling to the Turks in the eleventh century.
The fortress consisted of an inner castle on the hilltop and an outer castle around it. The outer walls that once encircled the city have vanished, but the inner castle survives well. Its walls are between two and two and a half metres thick, and eight of its towers still stand.
Inside are two of the earliest Turkish-Islamic works in Erzurum, both from the Saltukid period: the Kale Mescidi (castle mosque) and the Tepsi Minaret, which served both as its minaret and as a lookout. Climbing the hill also rewards you with a view over the city.
Tips
- Erzurum's other historic sites are within reach, including the Painting and Sculpture Museum, though that one is currently listed as closed.
- The castle sits on a hill, so expect a modest climb.
Questions
When is Erzurum Castle open?
According to the Ministry’s listing it opens at 08:00 and closes at 19:00 (last entry 18:30). Open every day.
Can I buy tickets for Erzurum Castle on this site?
No. This site sells no tickets. Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia and Dolmabahçe Palace are sold on our sister sites; for Erzurum Castle, buy at the ticket office or on the Ministry’s official e-ticket system.
Where is Erzurum Castle?
Erzurum Castle is in Erzurum, Türkiye — Mirza Mehmet Mahallesi,Erzurum Kalesi.
Nearby
Erzurum
Erzurum Atatürk House Museum
The mansion where Mustafa Kemal and his companions worked for 52 days in 1919, during the Erzurum Congress, now a museum of the National Struggle.
Erzurum
Erzurum Painting and Sculpture Museum
The historic Erzurum Congress building, once an Armenian girls' boarding school, now run as a painting and sculpture museum and gallery.
More museums in Erzurum
Istanbul tickets online
Four Istanbul landmarks, each sold on its own site by the agency behind this guide — dated entry and free cancellation up to 24 hours.
Basilica Cistern
Justinian’s great underground reservoir: 336 columns in still water and the two Medusa heads. Fast-track entry with a digital audio guide.
Hagia Sophia
Justinian’s cathedral, the sultans’ mosque and a working mosque again today. The ticket admits you to the upper visitor gallery.
Dolmabahçe Palace
A nineteenth-century palace on the water’s edge: the Selamlık, the Ceremonial Hall under its chandelier, the crystal staircase and the Harem.