Discover Taşköprü: Bridge, Museum and Pompeiopolis

Taşköprü offers several tangible points of interest for a trip focused on history and culture: a city museum in a historic building, mosques with different connections to the area, the Taşköprü Bridge over the Gökırmak, and the archaeological site of Pompeiopolis. Each building and excavation site tells a different part of the area’s history. When planning your trip, it is also worth considering the distances to two nearby destinations.

Local history in the former Redif Tabur building

The Taşköprü Kent Tarihi Müzesi is housed in a building constructed in the 1890s as a Redif Tabur building. It later served as a health dispensary. In 2007, it was handed over to the Taşköprü Municipality, then restored and opened as a city museum in 2017. The building’s changing uses—from its original construction through its later use to its current role as a museum—make the building’s own history part of the visit.

Pompeiopolis is also featured in the museum: a media report from March 2025 describes a dedicated area with depictions of the ancient city, which is about 2,000 years old. The depictions were created using geophysics and ground-penetrating radar and presented to the public. Since exhibition displays can change, check before your visit whether this presentation is still on view.

Mosques and their local connections

The Şeyh Hüsamettin Tekke Mosque is located in the Tekke district. It is considered a 13th-century building from the era of the Çobanoğulları and was constructed from rubble stone with mortar. Another religious landmark is the Kara Mustafa Pasha (Taş) Mosque in the center of Taşköprü district in Kastamonu Province. These location details help place the two buildings within the town.

The Şeyh Hüsamettin Tekke Mosque is also associated with an annual event: in May, it is visited by local groups and visitor groups from outside the area as part of Evliyalar Week. Check the latest program details if you would like to plan your trip around this occasion.

The historic Taşköprü Bridge

At the entrance to the town, the historic Taşköprü Bridge crosses the Gökırmak. Built in 1366, it is 68.5 meters long and has seven arches, six of which are open. These measurements give a concrete impression of its design; its position over the river is also an important landmark in the surrounding area.

Restoration of the bridge was completed in 2019. A report from 2023 says that it remained open for use afterward. Check the bridge’s condition before your visit. Across from it, near the town center, is the archaeological excavation site of Pompeiopolis. The bridge and excavation site can thus be located in relation to one another, without implying a specific visitor route.

Pompeiopolis and nearby destinations

Some of the architectural remains of the ancient city of Pompeiopolis can be seen in Taşköprü. Finds and mosaics from the archaeological excavations, however, are displayed at the Kastamonu Archaeology Museum. If you are interested in the artifacts, check the museum’s current displays before your trip.

Nearby, in the village of Donalar, lies the Kalekapı rock tomb, 17 kilometers from Taşköprü. Reliefs of an eagle, a lion, a bull and an ox are carved into its façade. The nearby Seymenli picnic area is 22 kilometers from Taşköprü, along the Taşköprü–Çiftlik road. It offers woodland, cold spring water, and recreational and dining facilities.

The two destinations offer different experiences: Kalekapı is defined by its rock tomb and relief motifs, while Seymenli is described in terms of its woodland, spring water, and the recreational and dining facilities mentioned above. The distances of 17 and 22 kilometers provide a practical reference for trip planning, but do not indicate how long the journey takes.

Discover more destinations: Kastamonu, Akmescit Köyü, Çömlekçiler, Tosya, Inebolu, Saraçlar, Ovacik, Cide.

Back to the main travel overview: Kastamonu.