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Çoruh River - BAYBURT |
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 Gümüşhane-Bayburt and Dede Korkut: Gümüş-hane, located inland in the Eastern Black Sea Region, is named after the silver beds in its environs.
Süleyman the Magnificent established this town by building a mosque and 50 houses and named the settlement Gümüşhane (Sil-verton). The Hutura Hagios Georgios Monastery Church built by Alexius Comnenus in the 14th century and the Kelkit Plain, through which the Kelkit Creek flows and famed for its scenic wonders, are among the most beautiful places in this province. |
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| The known history of the Bayburt province, located on the banks of the Çoruh River, dates back to 2000 B.C. As a result of its location on the historical Silk Road, it was mentioned in the works of many western and eastern travelers, Marco Polo and Evliya Çelebi in particular. The tomb of Dede Korkut, one of the sages who migrated from Central Asia to Anatolia, is located here. |
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| Artvin, Famed for its Plateaus: Artvin,located along the Caucasian border of Turkey, has the most beautiful plateaus in the country. As summer commences, the residents of the region start preparations to migrate to the mountain pastures for animal husbandry. The traditional “Migration to the Plateau” is carried out in a veritable festive mood. The most significant stream in the province and the most rapidly flowing river in Turkey, the Çoruh River is perfect for rafting. |
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The Eastern Anatolia Region |
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| The East Anatolia Region is the largest in area, the highest in elevation and the most rugged region in Turkey. It covers 21% of the country with a surface area of 163,000 km². It neighbors the Black Sea, central Anatolia, Mediterranean and southeastern Anatolia regions. It also borders Georgia, Armenia, Nakhichevan, Iran and Iraq. The average altitude is around 2,000 m. The highest peak in Turkey, the Great Ağrı Mountain (5,137 m.), the Reşko Peak of Mount Cilo (4,135 m.) and Mount Süphan (4,058 m.) are located in this region. |
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| The population of the region is 6.14 million according to the 2000 census. 3.25 million people live in urban and 2.81 million in rural areas. The annual population growth rate is 13.75‰, much below the national average. |
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| The Fortress of Eastern Anatolia: Erzurum is the largest province and cultural center in East Anatolia. It was founded at the foot of the Palandöken Mountains at an altitude of 1,950 m. The Atatürk University located in this city is one of the best higher education institutions in Turkey. Erzurum is a rich historical treasure with its centuries-old mosques, bastions, towers and large tombs with dome shaped conical roofs. The Twin Minaret Madrasah, the symbol of the city, dates back to the Seljuk era. |
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The most significant mosques in the city are the Grand Mosque (12th century) and the Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque (16th century). The Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai was built by Rüstem Pasha, the Grand Vizier of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. This caravanserai bearing the characteristics of 16th century Ottoman architecture is used as a bazaar today. In this bazaar there are studios art galleries processing Oltu stone, a semi-precious stone peculiar to this city. |
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| The Aziziye Monument, erected to represent the heroism displayed by the people of Erzurum during the 1878 |
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