Çorum

Çorum is a city in the Central Karadeniz region of Turkey, with a population of 270,000 in 2022. You might stop here to break up a journey from Ankara to the Black Sea coast.

Understand

Çorum may stand over the Byzantine site of Euchaneia, but is only documented from the 16th century. It was an agricultural town that in modern times traded in copper-working, tanning, hand-weaving, bricks and ceramics. Nowadays it also makes cement, and automobile and IT components. Its architecture is mostly modern, as it lies close to the North Anatolian fault line and from time to time suffers earthquakes. It's at an elevation of 801 m so winters are cold here.

Get in

Çorum is 240 km northeast of Ankara, a 3 hour drive. D795 the highway to Samsun bypasses town to the north: Samsun on the coast is another 170 km northeast, say 2 hr 15 min. Samsun (SZF ^IATA) is the closest airport, but Ankara (ESB ^IATA) has more flights plus high-speed trains.

Buses from Istanbul run every couple of hours, taking 10 hours via Ankara, Kirikkale, Delice and Sungurlu. They continue to Samsun, another two hours, and some to Trabzon. Buses from Kayseri (4 hours), Antalya (13 hours) and Izmir (12 hours) are likewise heading for Samsun.

Bus lines on these routes are Metro Turizm and Flix Bus.

1 Çorum Yeni Otogar is 3 km southwest of city centre. It's clean and spacious (yeni means "new", it opened in 2015) but is short of eating places. Dolmuşes run downtown from the south wing: your ride may be included in your inter-city ticket, check when booking.

Get around

The sights are all within walking distance, but dolmuşes run along the main streets.

See

• 1 Clock tower (Saat Kulesi) marks city centre. It was built 1894 / 96 and resembles a minaret.
• Velipaşa Han next to the clock tower is a traditional han or inn, built late 19th century. It was restored in 2022 and now houses craft shops and cafes.
• Murad-i Rabi Mosque or Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami) is 100 m north of the clock tower. It was established in the late 13th century but twice wrecked by earthquakes: the present building is from 1810.
• 2 Akşemseddin Mosque is a magnificent structure 1 km west of town centre, built in 2008 in traditional style.
• 3 Han Mosque near the museum was built in 922 AH / 1516 AD.
• 4 Çorum Citadel might date to around 1500. It's closed for restoration.
• 5 Çorum Museum, Cengiz Topel Cd 153, ☏ +90 364 213 1568. Daily 08:30-18:30. Good display of exhibits from the area's several civilisations, with English signage. It's in a former hospital. Adult 100 TL. (updated Sep 2024)

Do

In Çorum Museum

• Football: Çorum FK play soccer in TFF First League, the second tier. They play at City Stadium (capacity 15,000) opposite the bus station.
• Fitness centre: about a dozen, for instance Synergym in AHL shopping centre by Anitta Hotel.

Buy

• Lots of stores around the clock tower.
• AHL Park Mall is a big modern shopping centre filling the block north of Anitta Hotel, open daily 10:00-22:00.

Eat

• Leblebi are roast chickpeas, a popular local snack.
• Around the clock tower are Çorum Şehir Kulübü, Bizimkiler Lokantası, Izmir Lokantası and Tandırcı Kadir Usta.
• Southwest near the museum are Ali Usta, Çakır Sami Tandır Kebap, Çorum Marmaris Döner and a couple of cafes in AHL shopping centre.

Drink

Try the cafes.

Sleep

Within Muradi Rabi Mosque

Accommodation is strung along the east-west highway through town, nowadays bypassed.

• 1 Umay Otel (formerly Sera Otel), Azap Ahmet Sk 18, ☏ +90 364 333 1606. Very central, value for the budget price. B&B double 1200 TL. (updated Sep 2024)
• 2 Şirin Otel, İnönü Cd 71, ☏ +90 364 225 5655. Tatty but tolerable for an overnight stop. B&B double 1000 TL. (updated Sep 2024)
• 3 Feyzan Hotel, İnönü Cd 81, ☏ +90 364 333 1700. Friendly comfy place. B&B double 3000 TL. (updated Sep 2024)
• Kolağası Otel is basic but clean, at İnönü Cd 97 near the museum.
• 4 Anitta Hotel, İnönü Cd 80, ☏ +90 444 0819. Modern business hotel within walking distance of centre. B&B double 5000 TL. (updated Sep 2024)

Connect

Çorum and its approach highways have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of September 2024, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

• Alaca Hüyük is an extensive archaeological site 90 km southwest.
• Boğazkale has the ruins of ancient Hattusa.
• Tokat is where Vlad the Impaler (inspiration for Dracula) was imprisoned for a time, which didn't sweeten his temper.
• Amasya has whitewashed Ottoman architecture and ancient tombs engraved on the cliffs above town.
• Ordu on the coast has many old buildings.
• Samsun is the largest city on the Turkish Black Sea coast, with museums, sports and the opera.

Routes through Çorum

END ← Çankırı ←	W  E	→ Amasya → Tokat
Samsun ← Junction (W / E) ← Junction (W / E) ←	N  S	→ Junction (W via ) → Ends at (W / E)