Bingöl: City Center and Çapakçur Plain

Bingöl is located in the Upper Euphrates region of Eastern Anatolia and is a hub for the main roads connecting the east and west as well as the north and south of Turkey. For travel planning, the destination can be organized around its city center, the Çapakçur Plain, and places in the immediate area or the wider destination.

City Center on the Çapakçur Plain

Bingöl’s city center lies at an elevation of about 1,151 m on a flat area at the northwestern corner of the Çapakçur Plain. The plain covers 80 km² and lies at about 1,150 m above sea level. The elevation figures are approximately the same; together with its location at the northwestern corner, they provide a specific point of reference for the relationship between the city center and the plain.

The older settlement of Çevlik was established by the Çapakçur stream, in a green plain rich in gardens. Until 1945, Bingöl’s city center was known by the name Çapakçur. A prominent landmark in the center is the 12 m-high clock tower on Genç Caddesi at Dörtyol.

Landscape and Places Nearby

The Bingöl Plain is surrounded by mountains, with glacial lakes in the higher areas. Nearby is Lake Gerendal, a crater lake on the border between Bingöl and Elâzığ provinces. It lies about 18 km from Bingöl city center, on the 2,371 m-high plateau of Şaban village. The flat urban setting and a natural area at a considerably higher elevation thus serve as distinct geographic points of reference.

The Hesarek ski facilities are also nearby: they are located 34 km from Bingöl center, in Dikme at the Hesarek site. A municipal description dated September 9, 2021, lists three runs: a 1,200 m-long chairlift run, a 1,000 m-long T-bar lift run, and a 200 m-long beginner run with a baby lift. The ski season is stated to last four to five months; its duration may vary depending on snow conditions. If you include this in your plans, check conditions before traveling.

In the Wider Bingöl Destination

Beyond the city center and its immediate surroundings, the wider Bingöl destination includes other natural and cultural sites to help orient visitors. At Çır Waterfall, the water plunges 50 m from the approximately 100 m-high Çir Taşı rock. The Zağ Caves are dated to the beginning of the 5th century AD and attributed to early Christian Late Antiquity, or the late Roman–early Byzantine period. They were probably used by Christian communities as secret settlements, dwellings, and places of worship, at a time when these communities were under pressure from the Roman Empire. The Gökçeli–Kuşburnu village road branches off the Bingöl–Solhan–Muş road and leads to the caves.

The Buban fairy chimneys are located in Oğuldere village, which belongs to Sancak Belde in Bingöl. Their shape resembles the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia in Nevşehir District. One suggested explanation is that floodwaters and wind eroded the tuff bedrock, forming pointed rock structures.

Gayt Castle is also part of the wider Bingöl destination: it is located in the Çayboyu area, north of the center and near the Bingöl River. The medieval castle and settlement ruins have a polygonal ground plan; their 2 m-wide defensive walls are supported by towers. İsfahan Bey Mosque is located in Aşağı Çarşı in the center of Bingöl and is considered the only historic mosque in the city center. Its exact construction date is unknown.

Discover more destinations: Yiğitler Köyü, Sancak, Kalkanlı, Çayağzı, Topraklık Köyü.

Go to the wider travel overview: Bingöl.