Erzincan

Erzincan is a city in Eastern Anatolia. It's modern, on a grid pattern, as its predecessor was destroyed by an earthquake in 1939. In 2022 its population was 150,714.

Understand

The city stands at 1185 m altitude and has a continental climate, with a baking sun in summer and thick snow in winter. It's in a well-watered valley with agriculture and historic trade routes. In antiquity this region was Acilisene, part of Armenia, on the cusp between Persian and Byzantine control. Its heyday was in the 11th century, but it dwindled under Seljuk rule, and was wrecked by war and earthquake in the 13th century. It came under Ottoman control from the early 16th century.

For the next 400 years the Ottomans were a mighty force across south Europe and the Mediterranean, and Erzincan was a backwater, but that Empire was collapsing by the onset of the First World War in 1914. Turkey's rulers convinced themselves that the Armenians would side with the opposition to seize independence, and commenced systematic massacres to forestall this. Those in cities like Erzincan who survived were sent on death marches across the Syrian desert to concentration camps. Meanwhile the Russian army advanced into Erzincan, and held it until 13 Feb 1918 - the "13 Şubat" commemorated in the name of a main boulevard.

On 27 December 1939 Erzincan suffered an earthquake of magnitude 7.8, the largest ever recorded in Turkey, and equalled only by the 2023 Gaziantep quake. Some 20,000 died at the time, and another 10,000 in the following months from aftershocks and floods. The ruined city was therefore abandoned, and rebuilt on higher ground a few km north. This means that it has 20th century architecture on a grid pattern, and lacks the higgledy-piggledy medieval alleys and ancient buildings seen in other cities.

Get in

By plane

1 Erzincan Airport (ERC  ^IATA) has daily flights from Istanbul (IST and SAW) and Ankara. It's modern and clean, with the usual facilities including car hire. It's 5 km southeast of city centre, a dolmuş runs downtown and in 2023 costs 5 TL.

By train

Doğu Express departs Ankara daily at 18:00, reaching Erzincan 16 hours later around 10:00. This train continues to Erzurum, another 4 hours, then to Kars, a further 4 hours. The return train leaves Erzincan around 16:00. There are couchettes and a buffet. The main stops along the route are Kayseri and Sivas: for details and tickets see Turkish Railways website.

A tourist version of this train runs daily year-round. The eastbound train makes long stops for sightseeing at İliç, Erzincan and Erzurum, while the westbound train calls briefly at Erzincan around 06:30 then makes long stops at Divriği and Bostankaya.

A regional train runs twice a day from Divriği, leaving at 05:00 and 16:00 and taking three hours. The eastbound return train leaves Erzincan at 14:30 and 05:30.

A high-speed line is under construction from Sivas towards Erzincan and Kars: completion is nowhere in sight.

2 Erzincan railway station is 500 m south of city centre.

By bus

Three buses a day run from Istanbul, taking 16 hours via Gebze, Izmit, Adapazarı and various routes across Anatolia, for a fare in 2023 of 900 TL. They continue east to Erzurum and Kars.

From Ankara buses take ten hours via Sivas. From Trabzon they take 3 hr 30 min.

Bus operators include Metro Turizm and Flixbus; Pamukkale don't run here.

3 Erzincan Otogarı the bus station is 3 km east of city centre at the junction of the bypass. The dolmuş downtown takes five minutes.

By road

From Istanbul follow O-7 (toll) onto E80 past Bolu and ever east.

Get around

Dolmuşes ply the main streets. Taxis wait along Ordu Cd, or you're sure to find one just dropping off.

You need your own wheels to reach the outer sights.

See

Statue of Atatürk

• 1 Dörtyol means "four roads" and it's the city's main intersection and plaza. Halit Paşa Cd joins from the west and becomes Fevzi Paşa Cd, 13 Şubat Cd joins from the south and becomes Ordu Cd. It's by no means scenic, but it's the obvious reference and rendezvous point. No statue of Atatürk? - don't worry, he's 500 m north along Ordu Cd.
• 2 Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami) has a pleasant courtyard.
• 3 Terzibaba Mosque at the junction of Fevzi Paşa Cd and 793rd Sk is vast and modern. Many Turkish mosques are modern but in retro-Ottoman style, but this one from outside looks like a congress hall.
• 4 Esentepe is a hill and public park with a view over the city.
• 5 Ekşisu is a park with mineral springs and picnic area (piknik tesisleri).
• 6 Altıntepe Höyük 12 km east of the city is a volcanic hillock that was inhabited for millennia. Best preserved is its Byzantine church, but of most archaeological interest is its Urartian settlement from 9th to 7th century BCE. The site is under excavation and in 2023 remains closed to visitors.
• 7 Girlevik Waterfalls (Şelalesi) are 30 km southeast of the city. They're not a single drop, but several cascades descending 30-40 m. The area is a park, free to enter 24 hours.
• 8 Üçpınar (meaning "three springs") was once the Armenian village of Abrank (Ապրանք), but in 1915 that community was variously massacred, deported or fled. Two km south is the ruined 13th century Surp Tavit (Saint David) Monastery. By it are two 6-m tall khachkars, elaborately carved Armenian memorial stones: probably the finest still standing in Turkey, and maybe the tallest in the world. The approach road is in bad shape, so hike from the village rather than breaking an axle.
• 9 Tercan (100 km east). This town has an impressive 12th-century caravanserai established by Mama Hatun, a female ruler of the Saltukids, a regional dynasty contemporary with the Sultanate of Rum. It was re-modelled in early Ottoman times and has lodging, secure storage for merchandise and stables ranged around a central courtyard. Another circular courtyard contains the dynastic tombs. (updated Nov 2023)

Do

• Football: 24 Erzincanspor play soccer in TFF Second League, the third tier. Their home ground 13 Şubat Şehir Stadyumu (capacity 13,000) is next to Grand Mosque.
• Olympic Swimming Pool (Olimpik Yüzme Havuzu) is 2 km northeast of city centre on Yunus Emre Cd, open M-F 08:00-23:00, Sa Su 10:00-23:00.
• Ergan Dağı the mountain above Yaylabaşı, 20 km south of Erzincan, is a ski resort, and in summer has white-water kayaking.

Buy

Khachkars at Surp Tavit Church

• Lots of small supermarkets, for instance Cankar Hipermarket at Ordu Cd 10, 100 m north of Dörtyol, open daily 08:00-22:00.

Eat

• Erzincan döneri is the local specialty, served as a sandwich or together with rice and fried potatoes.
• Dörtyol area has the main concentration of eating places.

Drink

• Places near Dörtyol serving alcohol include Çarşı Izgara, Mozaik Cafe Bar and Çınar Restaurant all on Ordu Cd, The Well within Eliza Hotel, and Safir on Halit Paşa Cd.

Sleep

• 1 Meva Hotel, 1271st Sk (corner of Halit Paşa Cd), ☏ +90 446 214 2020. Good location on main boulevard, clean, some rooms small or smelling of tobacco smoke. B&B double 1500 TL. (updated Nov 2023)
• 2 Grand Simay Hotel, Halit Paşa Cd, ☏ +90 446 214 1414. Good location, mixed reviews for comfort and service. B&B double 1000 TL. (updated Nov 2023)
• Karakaya Hotel is the shabby place at Fevzi Paşa Cd 40 where you end up if misled by Google Map, which shows a duplicate Grand Simay here.
• 3 Eriza Hotel, 13 Şubat Cd 6, ☏ +90 446 223 4545. Creaky old place, service and comfort variable. B&B double 1500 TL. (updated Nov 2023)
• 4 Hotel Beyrut, Kırklar Cd 21/A, ☏ +90 446 214 2601. Simple hotel, good value for what you pay. B&B double 800 TL. (updated Nov 2023)
• Hotel Grand Alemdar, Terzibaba Cd 73 (facing Terzibaba Mosque), ☏ +90 444 6461. Welcoming mid-price hotel east of town centre. B&B double 1500 TL. (updated Nov 2023)
• 5 Hilton Garden Inn, Fevzi Paşa Cd 36, ☏ +90 446 226 7070. Clean efficient place east edge of city. B&B double 1500 TL. (updated Nov 2023)

Connect

As of Nov 2023, Erzincan has 4G from all Turkish carriers. There's a mobile signal along the main east-west highway through the district but lots of dead spots. 5G has not yet rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

• Erzurum east is next stop on the road into Georgia or Iran.
• Trabzon on the Black Sea doesn't rate as a beach resort but has a surprising collection of mosques.
• Kemaliye (or Eğin) is a beautiful old town 3 hours southwest.
• Sivas to the west has three religious complexes and is connected by high-speed trains to Ankara.
• Tunceli to the south stands out as a unique place due to its natural beauties, beaches with mountain views, Munzur River, and unexpected development despite sparse population.

Routes through Erzincan

Amasya ← Niksar ( S) ←	W  E	→ Erzurum → Doğubayazıt
Ankara ← Sivas ←	W  E	→ Ends at
Ankara ← Divriği ←	W  E	→ Erzurum → Kars