Sivas, Turkey

Sivas, called Sebastea in Roman times, was an important Seljuk Turkish city, and has the grand old buildings to prove it.

Today it's also a center of Turkish Alevi (Alawite) Islamic culture.

If you come to Sivas, it will be to see the Seljuk monuments such as the Çifte Minare Medrese (Seminary of the Twin Minarets, 1271), the Ulu Cami (Great Mosque, 1197), the Bürüciye and Sifaiye Medreses, and the splendid Gök Medrese (Celestial or Sky-Blue Seminary, 1271). There are also a number of Seljuk türbes (cylindrical tombs) scattered about the town.

A more recent historic building is the site of the Sivas Congress, convened by Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk) on September 4, 1919, to rally the country to the cause of independence.

Seljuk architecture buffs (I'm one) may make a special trip to the city, but most people find themselves passing through on their way to somewhere else, such as Amasya, Kayseri, Malatya (and Nemrut Dagi) or Erzincan and Erzurum. That's fine. You can break your trip here, stay overnight, see all there is to see in a half-day, and continue refreshed the next morning.

Sivas is a major transport nexus with good, frequent bus service, useful train service, and occasional flights by Turkish Airlines.

Distances & Travel Times

Adiyaman: 414 km (257 miles) SE, 7 hours

Ankara: 441 km (274 miles) W, 7 hours

Amasya: 221 km (137 miles) NW, 4 hours

Erzincan: 247 km (154 miles) E, 3.75 hours

Erzurum: 439 km (273 miles) E, 7.5 hours

Kayseri: 194 km (121 miles) SW, 3.75 hours

Malatya: 247 km (154 miles) SE, 4 hours

Tokat: 107 km (67 miles) NW, 2 hours

Ürgüp (Cappadocia): 274 km (170 miles) W, 4.5 hours

Yozgat (near Bogazkale): 224 km (139 miles) W, 3.5 hours

Eastern Turkey

Central Anatolia

Where to Go

Turkey Travel Planner Homepage

Seminary of Twin Minarets, Sivas, Turkey

Above, the Seljuk Turkish Çifte Minare Medrese (Seminary of Twin Minarets).
Below, "Old 3302" is now retired to a place of honor in front of Sivas's railway station.

Turkish Steam Locomotive 3302, Sivas, Turkey