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CANKIRI
In
the third century B.C. the Galatian settlement in
Cankiri was called Gangrea, a name which evolved into
Kangri. The ruins of an 11th century fortress overlook
the city. In town the Ulu Mosque, built by Turkey's
greatest architect, Sinan, in the 16th century,
recalls the years of Ottoman culture. Tas Mescit, a
medieval hospital built in 1235, lies just outside the
city. North of Cankiri is the beautiful llgaz National
Park and Ski Center. Kirikkale is a rapidly expanding
industrial center on the major highway that leads east
out of Ankara and to the Black Sea. The Kizilirmak
River, known in ancient times as Halys, passes by
Kirikkale. You can spend a pleasant afternoon relaxing
in one of the good restaurants surrounded by the
pastoral landscape. After the highway divides, the
eastern fork leads to Yozgat, 217 km from Ankara.
Founded in the 18th century by the Ottomans the city
has two important buildings from this period - the
Capanoglu Mosque and the adjoining Suleyman Bey
Mosque. The 19th century Nizamoglu Mansion, an
attractive example of Turkish domestic architecture,
now houses ethnographical exhibits. Camlik National
Park is a few kilometers south of the city.
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