White Gold
Eskisehir meerschaum is known worldwide. Meerschaum, which is like a symbol of Eskisehir, is a rare claylike mineral. It is soft when it is extracted from the soil and it gets hard in time. Consequently, it has acquired the name of "White Gold" in the region. A Meerschaum Festival is organized in Eskisehir every year. The Meerschaum Museum, which displays how the meerschaum is extracted, processed and its various forms, is well worth seeing.

Eskisehir is virtually a city of students with, more than 250,000 students. Anadolu University, the largest university in Turkey, and one of the ten largest universities in the world, is in Eskisehir. Furthermore, the province has become a rapidly developing industrial and trade center in recent years. The "International Eskisehir Art Festival" is organized annually in the province where cultural and art activities have also been increasing. The festival, in which world-famous artists participate, is followed with enthusiasm by the people of the city.

The grave of Yunus Emre, a famous poet who lived in the thirteenth century, is in Sarikoy to the east of Eskisehir. Yunus Emre is one of the leading architects of the spiritual values of the Turkish nation. The peerless poet has played a significant role in providing unity to the Anatolian Turks. The emotions of love for human beings, close friendship, tolerance and unity are very influential in his poems. Every year an International Yunus Emre Culture and Art Week is organized in Sarikoy.

The Motherland of the Hittites
The lands of Corum Province, including the ancient cities of Hattusas (Bogazkoy), the capital city of the Hittites and Alacahoyuk, are within the Central Anatolia Region. However, the capital of Corum Province is located in the Black Sea Region. Hattusas, which is surrounded by large city walls, appears to be like a city of temples. Here, at the Yazilikaya Open Air Temple, there are reliefs of all the Hittite gods and goddesses. Alacahoyuk is another important settlement center of the Hittites near Hattusas. The ancient city is especially known for the sphinxes at the entrance gate to the city. Furthermore, Alacahoyuk was also an important city of the Hattis who lived in Anatolia before the Hittites. Bronze, gold and silver sun disks, statues symbolizing gods, wine containers, crowns, belts and earrings were found in graves which belong to this period (2500 B.C.) of the city. These precious works of art are exhi- bited at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara.

Sivas
Sivas, which is on the route of international trade roads, is very rich in historical and tourist assets. The Grand Mosque, from the twelfth century, the Double Minaret, Sifaiye, Buruciye and Gok Madrasahs from the thirteenth century, the Guduk Minaret from the fourteenth century and the Sait Pasha Mosque, Tashan and Kursunlu Baths from the sixteenth century, are some of the works displaying the historical richness of the province. The carpets and kilims of Sivas have a fame surpassing the borders of Turkey, and they are known for the originality of their colors and designs, superior quality and matchless workmanship. Knitted and woven articles such as bags, saddlebags, belts, socks and scarves are among the leading handicrafts in Sivas. Silver items, combs and knives made of bone are also unique examples of the Sivas handicrafts.

The Balikli Cermik Thermal Springs, which are well-known in the world, are near Kangal County in Sivas Province. The thermal spring waters, at a temperature of 35 degrees Celsius, gush from the source, accompanied by fish that are 2 cm to 10 cm in length. The fish approach patients who have skin problems, such as chronic pimples, wounds, eczema and psoriasis, and clean and heal the wounds without causing pain to the patients. One of the most important centers for the cure of psoriasis in the world is here. It is possible to completely recover from psoriasis in 21 days.

The Goreme National Park
Goreme National Park has the most interesting and beautiful land formations in Turkey and is worth seeing. Hasan Mountain and Erciyes Mountain, the two largest inactive volcanoes in Central Anatolia, were active in earlier geological periods and the whole region was covered with tufa spewed from the volcano. The fantastic Goreme National Park, which was created by nature as the result of erosion from wind and rain over centuries, has formed the countless fairy chimneys, caves and beautiful rock formations, and the colors that used to be red, pink and brown were transformed in time into gray, yellow and green.