Discover Kağızman

Kağızman lies on an alluvial fan in the Aras Valley. Travelers choosing a destination based on its local history, archaeological traces and landscape connections will find several clearly distinct themes here. The castle and Eski Kilise are in the town center; other castles, rock art and bodies of water are associated with the surrounding area or the district. This geographical distinction helps visitors avoid equating Kağızman with a single structure and keep its various historical and landscape features separate.

Local History in the Center

The Castle of Kağızman is in the town center. Historical sources attribute its construction to Kanuni Sultan Süleyman; the stone castle in Çarşı Mahallesi was built in 1579. The Ağrı earthquake, which began on May 30, 1664, and lasted seven days and seven nights, destroyed the castle and the Süleyman Han Mosque next to it. The castle’s construction and its later destruction in the earthquake thus belong to different stages of local history.

Eski Kilise is also in the town center; it was converted into a mosque. The history of the castle and the transformation of a place of worship are therefore distinct themes.

Castles in the Surrounding Area

Other castles have their own geographical and historical connections. Keçivan Castle lies northwest of Kağızman district, at the foot of Aladağ, and was once a sancak center. The small medieval Köroğlu Castle is near Kötek, on the Kars–Kağızman road. It was built to control the road and was used mainly in the 16th century. The two descriptions point to different functions: Keçivan’s former administrative role and Köroğlu’s role in controlling a road.

Rock Art and Archaeological Traces

Nearby, on the eastern slopes of Aladağ, are the Camuşlu Yazılıkaya rock art panels. Dating to the Upper Paleolithic, they depict human and animal figures on two rock panels. The larger panel is about 14 meters long and 4 meters wide.

The Kurbanağa Cave near Yazılıkaya is of a different scale: it is 11.5 meters deep, 55 meters wide inside, and has an opening 12.5 meters wide. Stone tools, hearths and ceremonial hand axes from the Lower Paleolithic have also been found in the vicinity of Tombul Tepe and Kurbanağa Cave. The rock art and these finds thus represent different archaeological periods: the Upper Paleolithic in one case, and the Lower Paleolithic in the other.

Apple Culture and Local Connections

Kağızman Uzun Elması is a protected designation of origin. The designated area covers Kağızman district in Kars Province. Protection under Law No. 6769 applies from July 12, 2012; registration took place on December 25, 2017. Of Turkey’s 25 apple varieties, this one is considered particularly associated with Kağızman. The sweet fruit is cylindrical and distinctly longer than an egg.

Harvest takes place around October 1; this day is observed in Kağızman as Liberation Day. The first traditional Long Apple Festival was also held in Kağızman. Another local cultural connection is the song “Kağızman’a ısmarladım nar gele,” which is associated with pomegranate growing in Kağızman.

The Aras Valley and Bodies of Water in the District

The Aras River crosses the territory of Kağızman district for more than 50 kilometers. Denizgölü is a freshwater lake in the western part of the district, 3.5 kilometers north of the Aras River; the lake is home to mirror carp. The river and lake can thus be distinguished geographically: the Aras runs through the district, while Denizgölü lies north of the river.

Discover more destinations: Sarıkamış, Çolaklı, Selim, Dağpınar, Yukarıdamlapınar, Yenice, Akyaka, Kars

Go to the main travel overview: Kars.