Pınarhisar: Castle, Tumulus and Historic Buildings

Discover Pınarhisar through its historic buildings and their varied forms: a castle with a Byzantine history, a tumulus with a tomb, and mosques and school buildings offer a range of cultural points of interest. If you are looking for a holiday apartment for your stay, you might consider making Pınarhisar itself the main focus of your trip. The individual sites do not all tell the same story: alongside the castle, there are striking architectural forms as well as distinctive details on façades and buildings.

The castle and tumulus as distinctive landmarks

Pınarhisar Kalesi is considered a castle dating from the Byzantine period, restored during the Ottoman period. It is located in the northern part of Pınarhisar district, on a hill overlooking the surrounding area. The northern section of the castle is now used as a park and contains three structural remains. This means that the historic castle complex and present-day park use meet at this site. The three remains give the northern section a tangible built form; at the same time, the hilltop location makes the castle’s place in the landscape clear.

Another distinctive site is the Haydar Baba Tumulus in the centre of Pınarhisar. It stands on a rise within a cemetery and is 10–12 m high and 30–35 m wide. The tomb of Haydar Baba stands on the tumulus. On its northern side is an old cemetery with uninscribed stones. The tumulus’s height and diameter give it a very different form from the castle complex. The tomb, the rise and the uninscribed stones on the northern side are each among this site’s particular features.

Architecture in different forms

Pınarhisar’s historic buildings also offer specific details to discover. Pınarhisar Pratik Kız Sanat Okulu dates from the late 19th century and is associated with the Ottoman architectural period. At Koloğlu Primary School, the striking feature is its front façade, completely clad in dressed stone, along with its pointed-arch windows. The two buildings can be distinguished by the features described: the emphasis is on the period and architectural classification of the former, and on the façade and window design of the latter.

Different building forms are also recorded among the mosques. Sadık-Ağa Mosque has a main room with a dome. Its prayer hall has three small domes; in front of it is a small vestibule, also covered by a dome. The walls of Hundi-Hatun Mosque, by contrast, are built entirely of dressed stone. Those interested in architectural forms can note these different features: the sequence of domes at Sadık-Ağa Mosque and the stone walls of Hundi-Hatun Mosque.

Traditions and routes in the region

The municipality announced the Tarihi Pınarhisar Panayırı as a traditional Pınarhisar gathering; its opening was announced for 27 June. The announced programme included textiles, regional foods, souvenirs and entertainment at an amusement park. The municipality also described the Traditional Pınarhisar Youth Festival as an annual event that people look forward to; at the time of the announcement, it was being held for the 13th time.

Getting around the region may also involve travelling from the centre of Pınarhisar district: minibuses run regularly from there to Kırklareli city centre and to Lüleburgaz.

For further information, you can also visit the pages about Keskin, Karakeçili and Kırıkkale.

For the broader travel overview: Kirikkale.