Erzurum, which is the second most populous city of the Eastern Anatolia Region, is also known as the Land of Dadaşlar. Erzurum, whose history dates back thousands of years, has always been at the intersection of great empires due to its geographical location. The present city of Erzurum was first established during the time of the Eastern Roman Empire. Later, many powerful empires such as Sassanids, Ilkhanids, Seljuks and Safavids dominated this city. Erzurum, which was conquered by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1534, remained under the rule of the Ottomans until 1916. Erzurum, which was under Russian occupation from 1916 to March 12, 1918, will write its name in Turkish history as one of the places where the fuse of the Turkish War of Independence was ignited. The Turkish War of Independence, on the other hand, became official in these lands. Mustafa Kemal, Kazım Karabekir and Rauf Orbay gathered in Erzurum on 23 July – 7 August 1919 and the process leading to independence started with the decisions taken at the Erzurum Congress.
Narman Fairy Chimneys and Norman Five Lakes
These geological structures in the Narman district of Erzurum can only be seen around Narman. Standing out with its red color and different landforms, the Narman Fairy Chimneys are also known as the “Red Fairy Land”. The fairy chimneys, which are similar to the world-famous Grand Canyon in appearance, were formed as a result of the erosion of the materials carried by the rivers to the sedimentation basin approximately 3 million years ago. Unlike the Fairy Chimneys in Cappadocia, the Narman Fairy Chimneys, which are not exposed to volcanic movements and alluvium, get their color from the oxidation of the iron in the sediments in the form of Fe2O3. It is located 25 kilometers from the town of Narman in Erzurum. It consists of five lakes of different sizes. The region, which draws attention with its unique natural beauty and geography, is one of the rare areas that have remained untouched due to its recent opening to tourism. The region, which is suitable for camping, trekking and trekking, provides a lot of convenience in this regard. The best time to go to this region is the summer months.
Erzurum Rainbow Hills
Located in the Oltu district of Erzurum, these hills consist of red, green and orange colors. These hills, which are estimated to have formed 45 million years ago, are also found in countries such as China and Peru. The hills, which have become today as a result of climatic conditions and millions of years of erosion, are one of the most important natural beauties in our country in the name of geotourism. The hills, which are almost a hidden paradise, are expected to be protected as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in the future.
Palandoken Ski Center
There are 3 ski centers in the region, which was declared a Winter Tourism Center in 1993. These 3 ski resorts, consisting of Erzurum Strait, Konaklı and Gez Plateau, are located in the Palandöken Mountains with a length of 70 kilometers and a width of 25 kilometers. There are two tracks registered by the International Ski Federation (FIS) for slalom and giant slalom competitions in Palandoken Ski Center. .Palandöken Ski Center is 3.176 meters above sea level and is one of the most important ski resorts in the world. Snow quality is suitable for long distance skiing in the center where skiing can be done for 5 months. Hosting the 25th World University Winter Games held in Erzurum in 2011, the ski resort has become one of the new attraction centers of winter tourism in the world. The tracks in Palandoken are one of the longest and steepest tracks in the world. Palandöken ranked 18th among 41 ski resorts in the world determined by the New York Times.
