Located in the ancient lands of Anatolia, at the intersection of Central Anatolia and the Black Sea, Çorum's charming district İskilip attracts attention not only with its natural beauties, but also with its deep-rooted history and rich cultural heritage. İskilip, described as 'Museum City' by researchers, is almost an open-air museum with many architectural structures, castles, mosques and mansions dating from past to present. If you are a traveler who likes to follow the traces of the past and feel the cultural texture, this special guide of the Memleketim platform is for you. Get ready to discover the art and culture centers, living heritage and historical treasures of İskilip!
The Cultural Heart of İskilip: Museums and Art Houses
İskilip continues to keep its cultural richness alive in modern and traditional places. Museums and art houses in the district open the doors of different periods and branches of art to visitors.
Iskilip Scholars Museum: In Search of Science and Spirituality
Iskilip Scholars Museum, which opened its doors in 2017, is the first and only in Türkiye. This museum transmits the lives and cultural heritage of important religious and scientists raised by İskilip to future generations. Silicone figures of names such as Hazrat Akşemseddin, the teacher of Mehmet the Conqueror, Sheikhulislam Ebussuud Efendi and Astronomy scholar Ali Kuşçu, and materials from the period in which they lived are exhibited here. A section of the museum is devoted to daily life materials used in İskilip from history to the present. Additionally, the works of photographers from Iskilip adorn the walls of the museum. The museum makes significant contributions to the cultural tourism of İskilip.
Çatalkara Culture and Art House: Artistic Encounters in Historical Texture
Providing service in a restored mansion reflecting the historical texture of İskilip, Çatalkara Culture and Art House takes its name from It is taken from the Çatalkara grape grown in the region. This art house, which was restored with the initiative of Hughette Eyüpoğlu and in cooperation with the District Governorate and the Municipality, hosts various artistic activities as well as exhibitions. This is an important center where local artists can exhibit their works and art lovers can come together.
Hamiyet Atasoy Culture and Art House: The Stop of New Generation Art
Hamiyet Atasoy Culture and Art House, which was brought to the district by İskilip Municipality. It recently opened its doors. This special place, which will host art and cultural activities, was designed as an area where citizens of all ages can express themselves, develop their skills and socialize. As Mayor İsmail Çizikci stated, this is not just a building; It aims to be a home where dreams will blossom, friendships will be established and the healing power of art will reach hearts.
İskilip Museum: A Time Tunnel from Past to Present
İskilip Museum, located in the heart of İskilip, is an important stop that reveals the rich history and cultural diversity of the district. This museum, located in a historical mansion that is one of the beautiful examples of 19th century Ottoman architecture, is a historical monument in itself. Its collection consists of two main parts: archaeological and ethnographic works. In the archeology department, finds from the Hittite, Phrygian, Roman and Byzantine periods; In the ethnography section, local clothes, hand-woven carpets, examples of traditional handicrafts and items used in daily life are exhibited.
Living Heritage: Traditional Handicrafts of İskilip
İskilip is one of the rare places that still keeps many traditional handicrafts that are about to disappear. Crafts such as basket making, saddle making, wood carving, shoemaking, coppersmithing, tinsmithing, wicker weaving and local kennefi cloth weaving continue to come to life in master hands. This situation makes İskilip almost a natural ethnographic city museum. In fact, an 'İskilip Professions Museum' project has been implemented with the support of the Central Black Sea Development Agency (OKA), aiming to transfer this valuable heritage to future generations.
Silent Witnesses of History: Architectural and Archaeological Values of İskilip
İskilip's cultural richness is not limited to museums only; All around the district are full of buildings bearing the traces of history.
İskilip Castle and Rock Tombs: An Epic from Rome to the Ottomans
Built on a 100-meter-high natural rock on a hill overlooking the district center. İskilip Castle has a history dating back to the Hittites and was used and repaired during the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. Watching the Çorum plain from a bird's eye view from the castle offers a very impressive experience. On the southern and southeastern skirts of the castle, there are İskilip Rock Tombs dating back to the Roman period. These rock tombs have a remarkable architecture with their rectangular entrances with two columns and lion figures on the column capitals.
Historical Mosques and Mansions: Buildings Reflecting the Spirit of İskilip
İskilip hosts a rich cultural heritage in terms of architecture. İskilip Ulu Mosque, dating back to the late Ottoman period and built in 1839, fascinates its visitors with its ceiling decorated with Kufic inscriptions. The oldest mosque in İskilip, the 16th century Şeyh Muhiddin Yavsi Mosque, was built by Şeyhülislam Ebussuud Efendi in the name of his father. In addition, Yazılı Konak, which is adjacent to Çatalkara Sanatevi and has been restored and turned into a guest house, and Taş Evli Neighborhood, which makes you feel the local architecture with its narrow and stone-paved streets, are important stops that complete the cultural texture of İskilip. İskilip, which is located at a distance, can be easily reached by road. The most suitable periods to visit the district are spring and autumn, when you can easily explore its natural beauties and historical texture. While visiting İskilip, do not forget to taste local delicacies such as the famous İskilip Dolması, tandoori kebab and sac roast, and also try the famous İskilip walnut sausage. On this cultural journey, you will find a different story in every corner of İskilip, under the guidance of My Hometown.
İskilip is more than just a district, it is a settlement that blends the past and the present and puts art and culture at the center of its life. Be sure to add İskilip to your next travel plan to discover this rich heritage!
