Sivrihisar

Sivrihisar is an attractive old town in Western Anatolia. It's at an elevation of 1070 m, below a craggy granite ridge, hence the town's name: "sharp, pointed fortress". In 2022 the population of the municipality of Sivrihisar was 20,087.

Understand
Sivrihisar is on the main highway between Ankara and Eskişehir, and has a well-preserved historic quarter, yet receives very few tourists. The town may be hoping that inscription of its Grand Mosque into the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023 will raise its profile. What's more likely to succeed is what UNESCO might call an intangible cultural heritage: Gönül Dağı or "Mountain of Hearts" is a TV comedy-soap filmed here (the fictional town of Gedelli) and screened since 2020.

Get in
Sivrihisar is on D200/E90 100 km east of Eskişehir and 140 km west of Ankara, at the junction with D260/E96 to Afyonkarahisar, Uşak and Izmir. These are good divided toll-free highways.

Intercity buses flash past on these highways and don't stop in Sivrihisar. Look for a dolmuş in Eskişehir or Polatlı.

The railway bypasses town to the north, so the closest stations are in Eskişehir and Polatlı, both served by YHT high-speed trains.

Get around
The old town is compact and walkable. You need a vehicle for sights further out.

See

 * Old town has many traditional houses in various states of repair or dereliction. Tourists crane for selfies at "Taner's House" 100 m south of Grand Mosque – in Gönül Dağı Tayyar Sk 2 was the abode of the main character Taner Kaya.
 * Alemşah Tomb north side of Grand Mosque was built in 1327 for Sultan Şah.
 * Sculpture Park is ranged across the hillside behind the church, with some 100 human figures in noble poses. They're the work of Metin Yurdanur, born 1951 in Sivrihisar. The park is free to visit 24 hours.
 * (Saat Kulesi) is on the hillside east of the church, reached by a boardwalk over the jagged rocks. The tower is 12 m high and you may find the doors to its steps open. Otherwise admire the view outside from the glass-floored viewing terrace, built in 2015. Access is free 24 hours.
 * at Hoş Kadem Sk 14 was built in 1274 AD by Necibittini Mustafa, Treasurer to the Seljuks.
 * Hazinadar Mosque is adjacent, set in the same garden, and of similar date. In Ramadan the custom is that women pray here and the men in Hoşkadem Mosque.
 * is a replica of the Breguet 14B2 biplane that fought over Sivrihisar during the War of Independence. The town was captured by the Greeks in Aug 1921. It was liberated a year later after the Battle of Sakarya, but the war was far from won, and Turkey only had slow obsolete aircraft. The citizens raised the money to commission the biplane, which had a mixed role of reconaissance, fighter and bomber. The replica was installed in 2007.
 * is a tiny village 44 km north, not to be confused with Yunusemre district of Manisa. Here is the tomb of Yunus Emre (1238–1320), a Sufi mystic poet, one of the first poets to write in Turkish (in its Old Anatolian form) rather than Persian or Arabic. The road is signposted off D200/E90 east.
 * at Hoş Kadem Sk 14 was built in 1274 AD by Necibittini Mustafa, Treasurer to the Seljuks.
 * Hazinadar Mosque is adjacent, set in the same garden, and of similar date. In Ramadan the custom is that women pray here and the men in Hoşkadem Mosque.
 * is a replica of the Breguet 14B2 biplane that fought over Sivrihisar during the War of Independence. The town was captured by the Greeks in Aug 1921. It was liberated a year later after the Battle of Sakarya, but the war was far from won, and Turkey only had slow obsolete aircraft. The citizens raised the money to commission the biplane, which had a mixed role of reconaissance, fighter and bomber. The replica was installed in 2007.
 * is a tiny village 44 km north, not to be confused with Yunusemre district of Manisa. Here is the tomb of Yunus Emre (1238–1320), a Sufi mystic poet, one of the first poets to write in Turkish (in its Old Anatolian form) rather than Persian or Arabic. The road is signposted off D200/E90 east.
 * is a tiny village 44 km north, not to be confused with Yunusemre district of Manisa. Here is the tomb of Yunus Emre (1238–1320), a Sufi mystic poet, one of the first poets to write in Turkish (in its Old Anatolian form) rather than Persian or Arabic. The road is signposted off D200/E90 east.
 * is a tiny village 44 km north, not to be confused with Yunusemre district of Manisa. Here is the tomb of Yunus Emre (1238–1320), a Sufi mystic poet, one of the first poets to write in Turkish (in its Old Anatolian form) rather than Persian or Arabic. The road is signposted off D200/E90 east.
 * is a tiny village 44 km north, not to be confused with Yunusemre district of Manisa. Here is the tomb of Yunus Emre (1238–1320), a Sufi mystic poet, one of the first poets to write in Turkish (in its Old Anatolian form) rather than Persian or Arabic. The road is signposted off D200/E90 east.

Buy
Lots of little supermarkets in old town, with another cluster near Kaytan Otel towards the main highway.

Eat
A dozen eating places cluster round Grand Mosque, with a handful more at the top of Atatürk Blv at the entrance to old town, and a scattering south towards the main highway.

Drink
Some cafes serve beer.

Connect
Sivrihisar and its approach highways have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of Dec 2023, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Gordion, the ancient Phrygian capital, is another, near Polatlı east of the Sakarya River.
 * The road north from Yunusemre across the hills takes you towards Nallıhan Bird Reserve. The waterfalls near Gürleyik on the way are worth the short detour.
 * Eskişehir to the west is the lively provincial capital on the banks of the Porsuk River, with a student buzz.
 * The road across the lonely steppes to the south leads to Afyonkarahisar, another traditional town with craggy surroundings.