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Kırıkkale
Hasandede Mosque and Tomb
The Mosque and the Tomb were built in 1605 but they’ve been restored in 1777 and1807.
The mosque has a square plan and faced with brownish red local stones. The low relief altar located in the middle of the qibla wall is surrounded by two intertwined kerbs. The mosque has two other buildings with octagonal plans used as tombs of Hasan Dede and his children.
Celal Bayar People’s Garden
At the very centre of Bahşılı district, the picnic area offers some awe-inspiring natural wonders and a plethora of sports activities.
Karaahmetli Natural Park
Karaahmetli Natural Park (Karaahmetli Tabiat Parkı) is reached via Karaahmetli Village of Bahşılı district. The park is a pleasant spot for one-day activities like excursions, picnicking, hiking, line fishing and birdwatching.
Ballı Mosque
The mosque has a rectangular plan and rubble walls. The dome is made out of bricks. The southern wall’s corners and window jambs were made of face stone. Ballı Mosque (Ballı Cami) has a stone-based, brick-bodied, one-balcony minaret, and a round-arched door in a rectangular ashlar portal.
The mosque’s coffered ceiling reflects the features of the traditional craftsmanship. The outer walls have rectangular windows with pointed arches. The inner walls showcase classical decorative Seljuk art. The exact construction date of the mosque is unknown, but according its architectural features it is estimated that it was built in 15th or 16th century.
Koçubaba Tomb
As the tomb in Koçubaba village of Balışeyh district has no inscriptions, the exact construction date of the tomb is unknown. However, its features reflect the architectural approach of 14th and 15th century. Koçubaba was a Turkmen wise man and a follower of Bektaşi order. It is believed that he was born around 1200 in Nishabur, trained at Ahmad Yasawi’s community and came to Anatolia under the leadership of Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli.
Elmalı Mosaics
Located between Elmalı and Karalı villages of Delice district, Elmalı Mosaics with unique features in terms of technique, material and description, were discovered in 2016. It is believed that the mosaics date back to 1st to 3rd century and they were set in the dining hall of a villa. One of the mosaics describe mythological Orpheus playing the lyre and the other one describes Marsyas. Marsyas who is generally punished in ancient art, is represented as being well-respected in Elmalı Mosaics.
Büklükale Archaeological Site
Büklükale Archaeological Site (Büklükale Ören Yeri) which has six cultural layers: The Ottoman period, the Hellenistic Period, the Iron Age, the Late Bronze Age or Imperial Hittite Age, the Assyrian Trade Colonies Period and the Early Bronze Age. By means of excavations, architectural remains from Imperial Hittite Period, and various artefacts made of metal, terra-cotta, stone and bones such as tablets, doors, bowls and pots has come to light.
Çeşnigir Bridge
Çeşnigir Bridge (Çeşnigir Köprüsü) built on Kızılırmak (Red River), has typical features of Seljuk architecture. Its exact construction date is unknown, but it is believed that it dates back to 13th century and made of stone blocks. When Ottoman Sultan Yavuz Selim decided to embark on an expedition in 1516, the bridge, which was on the way of the army, was completely renovated and strengthened by the Great Architect Sinan.
Sulu Cave Archaeological Site
Located in the town centre of Keskin District, 27 kilometres away from Kırıkkale, Sulu Cave (Sulu Mağara) is a fossil cave from the Palaeozoic Age. This doline structured semi-natural, semi-artificial cave’s total length is more than 200 metres. Sulu Cave is a fossil cave from the Palaeozoic Age. It is located in the town centre of Keskin District, 27 kilometres away from Kırıkkale. Sulu Cave has three connected storeys and three galleries respectively the room, the earthenware gallery and the lower mine gallery. The cave contains marble, mudstone and sandstone. It is believed that one of the galleries served as sanctuary to early Christians.
The cave’s average humidity is 85% and the average temperature is 18oC and it is totally dry except pluvial periods.
Kibrithane
Located on the street bearing the same name, Kibrithane building is a one-storey structure made of reddish pink andesite also called “Ankara stone”. The inscriptions on its arched door states that it was built in 1903 as a match factory.
Fişekhane
The three-storey building made of reddish pink andesite also called “Ankara stone” was transformed into a Fişekhane (cartridge /ammunition storage depot) in 1907. During the War of Independence and the period of national struggle, from 1921 to 1925, it has been used as a cartridge factory. Over the course of the war of independence, it produced 50.000 bullets per day, repaired countless arms and played a crucial role in winning the war.
Taş Mektep
The one-storey building in Keskin is made of reddish pink andesite also called “Ankara stone”. Today, the building is home to “Hacı Taşan Art Centre”.
Bedesten
The bedesten located on Cumhuriyet Square in Keskin district consists of one-storey attached stores built at the end of the 19th century. As perfect examples of the commercial life in the 19th century, every shop has a triangular pediment. The pediments are made of wood and decorated with wooden ornaments. Pantiles cover the domes and all windows have wooden shutters. In harmony with the exterior architecture, floors and ceilings are also made of wood.
Historical Villas
The two-floor villas’ ground floors have masonry walls with rubble stone. Upper floors have half-timber framing and adobe infill. The wooden pillars support each other. Projecting windows have pendants. Interior of the domes are decorated with wooden ornaments. The wooden windows have shutters, arches or round and wooden doors rectangular.
Rahmi Pehlivanlı Art Centre
The art centre exhibits some family collection and personal objects belonging to Rahmi Pehlivanlı, also known as “the painter of kings”. Also, under display are the replicas of his famous works.
Ceritkale Rock Graves
The Rock Graves (Kaya Mezarları) are located near Ceritkale Village, 9 kilometres away from the town centre of Keskin District. Set on the eastern slope of a valley the rock graves are from the Roman period. Apart from the rock graves, the settlement has also ancient quarries and rock carving areas.
Kalekışla Village Castle
The castle set on the hill right next to Kalekışla village was built using Khorasan mortar. The estimated construction date is 1000 BCE.
Gavurevi Archaeological Site
The Gavurevi Archaeological Site (Gavurevi Ören Yeri) is on the slope of a deep valley located in Karaboğaz locality. It is possible to find traces of buildings from the Roman period.
Rock Sanctuaries
Rock sanctuaries date from the Byzantine period and are located in the middle of a huge steep boulder, approximately 5 metres above the ground. The entrance is possible via two trapezoidal openings of equal size and inside, there is a carved terrace.
In Cave
The İn Cave (İn Mağarası) is a three-storey cave carved into a big rock in Kalekışla Village. It has an entrance door and windows in the south front. There is an altar next to the entrance on the first floor. Stairs on the left lead to the second floor and those on the right lead to the third floor.
Yahşihan Iron Bridge
The iron bridge in Yahşihan District, connects both sides of Kızılırmak River. Built in 1903, under the reign of Abdulhamid II, it is the first iron bridge in Anatolia. The bridge was built by Germans and used for carrying ammunitions to Ankara during the war of independence.
Kırıkkale MKE Firearms Industry Museum
Kırıkkale MKE Firearms Industry Museum (Silah Sanayi Müzesi) is one of the two such museums in Türkiye. The museum exhibits more than 500 objects and firearms manufactured between 15th and 20th centuries in Ottoman Empire and Europe. The museum visit requires a special authorization.
