İhsaniye: Çaltepe and Phrygian Heritage

İhsaniye can be explored for trip planning through two distinct focal points: Çaltepe as an excursion area in the town, and the Phrygian and later historic sites in the surrounding area. Several cultural sites are near Döğer, Kayıhan, or Üçlerkayası. If you are looking for a hotel in İhsaniye, this distinction helps separate the town itself from nearby places of interest. The sites also represent different historical periods—from Phrygian rock monuments to an early Ottoman building.

Çaltepe and the History of the Town’s Name

Çaltepe is İhsaniye’s excursion area. There, the İhsaniye Municipality operates the Frig Vadileri Çaltepe Sosyal Tesisleri. The facility serves as a rest stop in the 3,000-year-old Phrygian Valleys and offers scenic views. Special dishes prepared by the chef are served there. Check current operating hours and the menu before setting out.

The settlement’s name also refers to its railway history: İhsaniye was named after İhsaniye railway station. The station was built after the railway line was constructed in the area. The town’s name therefore offers a different historical connection from the Phrygian monuments in the surrounding area.

Phrygian Sites and Historic Buildings

The Yunus Emre Tekke, also called the Emre Sultan Tekke, is located in the area of Lake Emre near Döğer. On February 12, 1998, it was registered as protected cultural property and a religious monument. It includes a zaviye and a tomb. The Maltaş Monument, also called Malkaya, is an open-air Phrygian cult site in Kayıhan. It lies at the southwestern end of Göynüş Valley, on the Akkuş-Yuvası rocks that form the valley’s western boundary. Maltaş, along with other Phrygian rock monuments, is dated to the 8th to 6th centuries BC.

Döğer is also home to a caravanserai commissioned by Murad II in 1434. It lies on the Hejaz Road and is considered a unique early Ottoman building. It therefore belongs to a much later historical period than Maltaş. In Üçlerkayası and its immediate surroundings are rock settlements from the Roman and Byzantine periods. These are joined by monumental tomb chambers, Roman graves on the upper rock areas, and water cisterns.

At Aslantaş, the rock-cut tomb is believed to be the tomb of a Phrygian king from the 7th century BC. Two facing lion reliefs are located on either side of the entrance to the rock-cut burial chamber. In Kayıhan, the tomb of Hayran Veli Sultan is next to the Hayran Veli Mosque; it contains numerous cenotaphs of murids.

Lake and Thermal Baths in the Surrounding Area

Canoeing is possible on Lake Emre near Döğer. From the lake, you can see numerous sites in the Phrygian Valley, including reliefs, rock tunnels, monumental tombs, and cisterns. Check whether canoe equipment is currently available before making plans.

The Gazlıgöl and Yaylabağı thermal baths are located in the wider surrounding region. Drinking and bathing treatments are used there for therapeutic purposes. If you plan to visit for this reason, check access in advance.

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