Bingöl: Ski Areas, Caves and Historic Sites

Bingöl offers several perspectives: the slopes take centre stage at the Hesarek ski areas, early Christian history awaits at the Zağ Caves, and striking natural formations can be found at Çır Waterfall and the Buban Fairy Chimneys. Castles and a mosque add to the historic sites. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Bingöl, the focus of your trip can help you choose a base: winter sports, thermal springs, landscapes or history each offer a different emphasis.

Winter at Hesarek, warmth at Kös

The Hesarek ski areas are in the village of Dikme, in the Hesarek area, 34 km from the centre of Bingöl. The three pistes include a 1,200 m-long chairlift piste, a 1,000 m-long T-bar lift piste and a 200 m-long baby lift piste. These measurements make the differences between the lifts clear. A municipal description dated 9 September 2021 gives the ski season as four to five months; its length may vary with snow conditions. Check the actual season dates for your travel year.

The Kös Thermal Springs offer a different focus for a trip. A municipal description dated 9 September 2021 identifies the Bingöl–Karlıova road as the access route, in both summer and winter. Check the travel information before setting out. The description lists a motel, a hotel, a guesthouse, three swimming pools, a restaurant, a tea garden and a car park on the site. Two of the three pools were closed at the time. Facilities may have changed, so check which ones are currently available before your visit.

The composition of the thermal water is also described: according to the analyses conducted, it belongs to the group of bicarbonate-, carbon dioxide- and carbonate-containing waters. It also contains anions such as chloride, sulfate and silicate, as well as the cations iron and aluminium. This is a specific natural feature of the Kös springs, but it is not a claim about health effects.

Water and tuff

At Çır Waterfall, the water plunges 50 m from the approximately 100 m-high Çir Taşı cliff. The waterfall is 8 km from the centre of Ilıca Bucağı in Bingöl and flows into the Uzundere stream, named after the village of Uzundere. The height, cliff and stream give the site a distinctive landscape.

The Buban Fairy Chimneys are in the village of Oğuldere, which belongs to Sancak town in Bingöl. Their resemblance to the fairy chimneys in Cappadocia, in Nevşehir district, is particularly striking. Floodwater and wind are thought to have shaped the tuff into pointed rock formations through erosion. The comparison with Cappadocia helps put their appearance in context; at the same time, Buban remains a destination in its own right, with its location in Oğuldere.

Caves, castles and city history

The Zağ Caves in Kuşburnu date to the beginning of the 5th century AD and are associated with the early Christian period of Late Antiquity, or the Late Roman–Early Byzantine period. Christian communities are thought to have used the spaces as secret settlements, dwellings and places of prayer while under pressure from the Roman Empire. For directions, take the Gökçeli–Kuşburnu village road branching off the Bingöl–Solhan–Muş road to reach the caves.

Gayt Castle is in the Çayboyu area, north of the centre of Bingöl and close to the Bingöl River. The medieval castle and settlement ruins have a polygonal layout; their 2 m-wide defensive walls are supported by towers. Bingöl Castle, also known as Simani, is about 1 km northeast of the centre, on a hill 30 to 35 m high. The two castles offer different architectural points of interest: at Gayt, the layout and defensive walls define the description, while at Simani, its position on the hill stands out.

The İsfahan Bey Mosque is also in the centre of Bingöl, in Aşağı Çarşı. It is considered the only historic mosque in the city centre; its exact year of construction is unknown. Together with the castle sites, it adds insights into Bingöl’s historic architecture to the natural and winter sports destinations.

Weighing up places as you plan your trip

The distances to Hesarek and Çır refer to different starting points: for the ski areas, it is the centre of Bingöl; for the waterfall, it is the centre of Ilıca Bucağı. So choose your holiday apartment based on the places you actually plan to visit, and consider each set of directions separately. This will help you decide in advance whether winter sports, natural formations, thermal springs or historic sites should be the main focus of your stay.

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