Where to Visit in Bolu
Bolu is a city in northern Turkey, and administrative center of the The City Province and of The City District. Its population is 184,682 (2021). The city has been governed by mayor Tanju Özcan (CHP) since local elections in 2019. It was the site of Ancient Claudiopolis and has also been called Eskihisar (“old fortress”) (and as such has several Turkish namesakes). Bolu is on the old highway from Istanbul to Ankara, which climbs over Mount Bolu, while the new motorway passes through Mount Bolu Tunnel below the town. It is situated at 742 m (2,434 ft) above sea level on the southern slopes of a bare hill.
The City is home to examples of Ottoman architecture. The Grand Mosque dates to 1899, but was originally built by Bayezid I and is home to decorations that resemble embroideries. The Kadı Mosque is perhaps the best example of classical Ottoman architecture in the city, having been built in 1499 and having its entrance embroidered with ornate kündekari works. Other Ottoman mosques in the city include the İmaret Mosque, built in the 16th century, Saraçhane Mosque, built in 1750, Ilıca Mosque, built in 1510–11, Karaköy Cuma Mosque, built in 1562-63 and Tabaklar Mosque, built in 1897. The remains of the ancient city of Bithynium have been found in four hills in the city centre, Kargatepe, Hisartepe, Hıdırlıktepe and the Uğurlunaip Hill. In Hıdırlıktepe, a tomb and the remains of a theatre have been uncovered. In Hisartepe, a temple believed to have been built by the Roman emperor Hadrian for his lover Antinous has been excavated. In 1911, it was noted that “in and around [Bolu] are numerous marbles with Greek inscriptions, chiefly sepulchral, and architectural fragments. Bolu Museum was established in 1975 to display and protect artifacts found in the Bolu area. It functions as both an archaeological and an ethnographic museum and is home to 3286 archaeological and 1677 ethnographic artifacts, as well as 12,095 historical coins. The archaeological artifacts chronicle the history of the area from Neolithic to Byzantine eras.
The countryside around The City offers excellent walking and other outdoor pursuits. There are hotels in the town. Sights near the town include: The 14th-century grand mosque, Ulu Jamii. Bolu Museum holding artifacts from Hittite, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. The hot springs, Kaplıcalar. Lake Abant and village of Gölköy, near the university campus. The famous crater lake called Gölcük. Hayreddin-i Tokadi, the local saint whose shrine is visited by folk in an annual festival.
Bolu Museums
