Discover Kırıkkale

Kırıkkale combines a distinctive industrial history with impressive buildings and urban open spaces. At the MKE Kırıkkale Weapons Museum, you can explore the history of a collection; the Nur Mosque, with its large dome, shapes the cityscape, while Merkez Çarşı offers a traditionally designed setting. There are also green spaces with paths and play areas. During your stay, you can choose between different ways to focus on culture, city life or a break in the park.

Industrial history at the MKE Kırıkkale Weapons Museum

The MKE Kırıkkale Weapons Museum was established on 15 July 1990 within the Kırıkkale Small Arms Factory. Its original name was “Silahsan A.Ş. Özel Silah Müzesi”. A large part of the collection comes from the weapons factory in Istanbul’s Tophane district. This origin connects the museum to the history of weapons manufacturing beyond Kırıkkale. In addition to the historical collection, there is an area featuring modern weapons manufactured by MKE and presented to visitors.

In 2022, with MKE’s support and at its initiative, the museum moved to its new location in Kırıkkale city centre. The site covers about 3,500 square metres. It includes a two-storey administrative building and a museum building with a training room, cafeteria and exhibition area. The museum is within Kırıkkale Merkez district and is accessible by local public transport. This makes it a specific cultural activity to include in your day’s plans, and one you can factor into getting around locally even without a car.

Nur Mosque: architecture and a large complex

The Nur Mosque was built between 2008 and 2015 to a design by architect Necip Dinç. Its architecture draws on Seljuk and Ottoman influences. The main dome is 32 metres high; four minarets and a capacity of 10,000 people give the building its scale. The covered area is about 25,000 square metres. Its lighting system, which received an international award, is another distinctive feature of the mosque on Kırıkkale’s city square.

The complex includes more than the prayer hall: it also has a conference hall, a seminar room, a library and a reading room. There is also an educational centre for Turkish-Islamic handicrafts, an area for presenting and selling religious publications, classrooms and a family counselling centre. If you are interested in architecture and religious culture, the Nur Mosque offers a different focus from the industrial collection at the Weapons Museum.

City life, shopping and green spaces

Merkez Çarşı is in the centre of Kırıkkale and was designed around the concept of “Tarihi Kırıkkale Evleri”. You can shop, have a drink, relax and take photos there. The “Tarihi Kırıkkale Evleri” also have shops selling souvenirs and regional products, as well as cafés and restaurants with indoor and outdoor seating. You will also find cafés along Atatürk Boulevard. These options offer an everyday contrast to the museum and architecture themes.

For a quieter or more active time outdoors, Büyük Şehir Parkı makes a destination in its own right. It covers 50 dönüm and includes green spaces, play areas, walking and cycling paths, as well as cafés. If you are travelling with children, you can factor in the play areas when planning your day; the walking and cycling paths also offer another way to spend time among the greenery. Alongside the city’s cultural attractions, the park provides a distinct focus for spending time outdoors.

Which location suits your stay?

If you mainly want to explore the city’s cultural and shopping destinations, you could start by considering a holiday apartment in the urban area. If you want green spaces and paths to play an important part in your stay, Büyük Şehir Parkı is another useful point of reference. The choice depends on the experiences you want to prioritise: a museum visit, architecture, city life or time in the park. Compare the locations of potential places to stay against your specific plans rather than assuming that proximity to one destination means easy access to all the others.

If you would like to discover other places in the same wider area, you can also visit Keskin, Pınarhisar and Karakeçili.

For the wider travel overview: Kirikkale.