Top Things to Do in Dogubeyazit
Things to Do in Dogubeyazit
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Tours, activities and experiences bookable on Tripadvisor, ranked using exclusive Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, popularity, user preferences, price, and bookings made through Tripadvisor.
What travellers are saying
- Brun066Florence, Italy12,232 contributionsWe visited this palace in a late afternoon in August, when the grazing light highlighted its forms, and the crowd was not excessive; so it has been a very pleasant experience.
The palace, splendid in its organization and decorative solutions, is also very large (it has been compared to a small Topkapi), so deciphering its various parts and their functions has been not very simple. After having carried out the visit, I then searched for documentation produced by the scholars of the palace, and on the web I found a paper by the architect. B. Yildirim, from the Istanbul Technical University, useful for understanding especially what concerns the organization of the various parts of the palace, and the "philosophy" of such organization.
The sources agree that this palace was officially finished in 1784. But it is not always underlined that it had been begun a century earlier, in 1685; therefore the events of the construction are complex, and involve different rulers and different architects.
Furthermore, for an even longer period of time than a century starting from its construction - that is, at least from 1828, the date of the first Russian occupation, until 1937, when its function as a shelter for military cavalry ceased, the palace has suffered looting or at best has been neglected. Friends of mine who passed through here as early as 1968 saw it as still imposing but ruined.
As for the location of the palace in the architectural culture of the time: it's summarized in the "tentative list" of UNESCO's Wold Heritage, that the palace, with regard to its construction details "is not at all in the Ottoman tradition but is rather a mixture of Anatolian, Iranian and North Mesopotamian architectural tradition”. And this feature is explained by its "frontier" location, subject to complex exchanges with other cultures. On the other hand, since Ishak Pasha (i.e. the leader who completed the construction and left his name to it) was an Istanbul gentlemen with a good knowledge of Ottoman princely palaces, it's to be expected that "the traditional model used in the construction of the Royal Palaces in the capital cities like Bursa, Edirne and Istanbul was taken as an example in the design”.
Therefore this palace stands out, not only for its grandeur, but also for its balance between the organization of the space according to the great models of the Ottoman royal palaces, and the fascinatingly eclectic architectural creation, the result of fruitful cultural exchanges. So it appears to be a "unicum" that the common visitor may not be able to fully decipher; but if he is attentive, he cannot help but be fascinated by him.Written 17 October 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Bronwyn GTownsville, Australia45 contributionsAfter reading the reviews of this site on here I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived at the visitor centre as it was open and had information in there to support the belief that this is the resting place of Noah's Ark. Thanks to the fact that my wonderful guide, Sefer, knew the man who looks after the visitor centre we were able to walk down from the centre to the actual site itself. Luck also had it that while we were checking out the site of Noah's Ark several mini buses from a university turned up to the visitor centre and I was soon talking to professors from the university about the conference on this site that they had just come from.......what a boon.
It was certainly very interesting and it seemed very plausible to me that this is indeed the resting place of Noah's Ark, if not then it's quite a co-incidence that the dimensions of this geological formation are the same as those given in the bible for the size of the Ark.
Sefer was very knowledgeable about the site and the area in general and spoke English well enough that we were able to converse on the way out to the site and back.
I found him very friendly, courteous and honest and would definitely recommend engaging his services if you wish to go out to this site or even to Ishak Pasha Palace or other places of interest around Dogubeyazit.
The best way to contact Sefer is via WhatsApp on +90 545 610 46 40
Oh btw.......the other reviews here are correct in that the scenery was magnificent and the fact that you are only a few kilometers from the Turkey/Iran border was also of interest to meWritten 13 November 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Iryna S1 contributionZeki and his team provide high-quality service. Not forgetting the sincere and attentive attitude towards clients. All you have to do is enjoy the stunning scenery and admire the wonderful photos after the trip. Highly recommended!Written 5 November 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Aleksandra A2 contributionsGreat experience with best guide! Zeki and his team offered us 5* organization of our 9-days stay. We had best camping places, beautiful views and always very good food. We all climbed successfully and safely Mt Ararat, Nemruth and Artos. It was great adventure with guides I can highly recommend!Written 27 September 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Martina C1 contributionIt was a great trip, everything perfectly and flexible organised by TAF travel, beautiful nature, professional guides team, both Firat and Ahmed were much supportive and cheerful companions, we enjoyed with them mountains hiking as well as Kurdish dancing. We had all delicious meals either prepared by Ahmed cook in mountains or in all restaurants, good accomodation in hotels as well. TAF travel is a great choice and we can highly recomend their service. Firat & both Ahmeds thans for all!Written 27 September 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Doubleplay4Mount Holly, NC150 contributionsThank you Agnes and Saffet owners of Ararat travel for organizing our private climb to Mount Ararat. From the pick up at the airport and all the way to the summit and back everything was perfect and even the weather cooperated. We also would like to thank our wonderful guide Ismet for her encouragement and help at the mountain. Highly recommended and hopefully we'll be back for different activities.Written 15 July 2021This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- IgrygOdesa, Ukraine23 contributionsBeing experienced climber and mountaineer, in the difficult time of COVID-19 restrictions to travel, the possibility to climb Ararat mountain has become a real gift for me. I've chosen the professional guide to realize my dream. The result exceeded my expectations. I can highly recommend his company not only because of the high service quality, safety, delicious food on the altitude but first because of the very sincere and human attitude towards the customers. In addition to the sports program, there was an opportunity to get acquainted with the history of this region. Thank you!Written 28 October 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dogubeyazit
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Dogubeyazit Attractions Information
Attractions | 13 |
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Attraction Reviews | 392 |
Attraction Photos | 895 |
Local Time | Saturday 18:11 |