Discover Erzincan: Winter Sports, Nature and History

Erzincan offers a range of travel highlights: winter sports on Ergan Dağı, striking landscapes and historic buildings. Its architectural history spans the Mama-Hatun Complex in Tercan and the remains of Altıntepe; Kemaliye makes its own mark with its urban layout and distinctive houses. You can balance nature, culture and activities according to your interests.

Winter Sports and Landscapes

Ergan Dağı is 3,256 meters high and has a ski run about 12 kilometers long in vertical extent. The Ergan Dağı Winter and Nature Tourism Center in Erzincan offers skiing, ski touring, snowboarding, snowkiting, snowmobiling, sledding, ice skating and glacier climbing. The range of activities therefore goes beyond a single winter sport. A description dated December 27, 2022, mentions a two-stage chairlift system and a two-lane road with a hot-mix asphalt surface leading to the ski center. Check operating details before your trip.

Karanlık Canyon is located in the Kemaliye (Eğin) district of Erzincan Province and was registered as a qualified natural and protected area in 2020. The 7-kilometer Taş Yolu, with its 38 tunnels, runs through the canyon. The road’s length and tunnels together define its character. The Dilli Valley, about 4–5 kilometers northwest of the Kemaliye settlement center, contains petroglyphs and signs; their interpretation provides important information about Turkish cultural history.

Other landscape destinations have their own appeal. Ekşisu Recreation Area features naturally emerging mineral water and extensive parkland. Girlevik Waterfall is in the village of Girlevik, about 30 kilometers from Erzincan city center. The distance provides a useful point of reference for planning, without specifying a particular travel time.

Buildings and Historical Traces

The Mama-Hatun Complex in Tercan consists of a kümbet, a caravanserai, a hammam and a mosque. The kümbet is particularly striking: its structure is articulated, its roof is conical, and a circular wall surrounds the building. Its plan and architectural design are considered unique in Anatolia. The individual structures give the complex a variety shaped by its architecture and use.

The origins of Kemah Castle date back to the Hittite-Urartian period. It rises on steep rocks and consists of two nested structures surrounded by walls. The remains of Altıntepe offer another perspective on history: they include a temple-palace complex, a columned reception hall, an open-air temple, three tombs and a storage building.

Individual buildings also preserve different historical clues. According to its inscription, Gülabibey Mosque was built in 1450 by Emir Gülabi Bey; a repair inscription dates from the 18th century. The Sultan Melik Mausoleum in Kemah contains the mummy of Sultan Melik and five graves. Abrenk Church, also known as Vank and Üçpınar, was built in 1854.

Kemaliye and Erzincan Traditions

Kemaliye is known for its urban layout, architecture and distinctive houses. The Historic Town of Kemaliye was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2021. Together with the petroglyphs and signs in the nearby Dilli Valley, it forms a distinctive collection of built and archaeological cultural heritage.

Copper craftsmanship is part of local tradition. It has a long history in Erzincan, has declined there compared with the past, and has for years been regarded as a traditional craft that symbolizes Erzincan. The craft is passed down through master-apprentice relationships. Tava Leblebi is also recommended as a typical Erzincan food to take home.

If you are looking for a hotel in Erzincan, first decide what you want to focus on: winter sports on Ergan Dağı, the scenery and route in Karanlık Canyon, or the buildings and history of Tercan, Kemah and Kemaliye.

Discover more destinations: Erzurum, Erzincan, Üzümlü, Refahiye, Akarsu, Cevizlik Köyü, Kavaklık Köyü, Çilesiz Köyü.

For the broader travel overview: Anatolia.