Kirklareli
Choose the tongue
Dil Seç
KIRKLARELİ
Area: 6.550 km²
Population: 890.306 (1990)
Traffic Code: 39
There are lots of pieces of art, reflecting Ancient Age, Medieval Age, Byzantium and Ottoman culture in a territory city, Kırklareli, and it has an ideal center position for coastal tourism, culture, caravan, camping and water sports tourism, hunt and nature tourism like various branches.
Districts : Babaeski, Demirköy, Kofçaz, Lüleburgaz, Pehlivanköy, Pınarhisar and Vize.
How to Get
Road and railroad transportation is available.
Coaching Station Tel: (+ 90 - 288) 214 12 60
Station Tel: (+ 90 - 288) 214 12 60
Where to Visit
ANCIENT CITIES
Aşağıpınar It is settled by various tribes from Neolithic period till Hellenistic period. Bone, rock and metal findings are revealed in studies, performed since 1993.
Kanlıgeçit It is at north of Aşağıpınar. It is one of the settlement areas, which is fully similar to the bronze settlements of Anatolia. Like in First Bronze Age settlements, settlement place is surrounded with a city rampart. It is just a small copy of Troy city. There are Megarones (house with courtyard type) within the rampart walls.
There are lots of known settlement places (mound) within the city out of these. Tilkiburnu (near to Pınarhisar, approximately 4000 B. C.), Koyunbaba Tumulus, Helvacı Şaban Tumulus are some of these.
TUMULUS AND ROCK TOMBS
There are 92 registered tumuli within territories of city of Kırklareli. It is understood from the excavations that Kırklareli tumuli's are continued from the end of Bronze Age (14 - 13th century B. C.) till to the beginning of 3rd century A. D. These are; Kırklareli A,B,G tumuli, Alpullu Mound Hill Tumulus, Lüleburgaz Kepirtepe Tumulus, Düz Orman Tumulus and İslam Bey Tumulus.
Dolmens (Lidded Rock Tombs): They are accepted as the early stage of monuments, frequently seen in Trace. It is understood that determined dolmens are used (1300 - 800 B. C.). These are near to the Kofçaz, Dereköy, Kadıköy, Kula, Geçitağzı, Kapaklı, Düzoralan Villages.
Menhir (Obelisks): There are numerous of them around Kırklareli. Their basic usage period is early Iron Age. These are around the Kırklareli Center, Erikler, Değirmencik, Ahmetçe Villages and Lüleburgaz.
MOSGUE AND CHURCHES
Important mosques and kulliyes of the city are Hızır Bey Külliye at Kırklareli center, Sokullu Mehmet Paşa Külliye at Lüleburgaz province, Cedit Ali Paşa Mosque at Babaeski province.
Important churches and monasteries are Small Hagia Sophia Church at Vize province, Mağara Monastery, Ayanikola Sacred Fountain and Monastery. Other monasteries within Kırklareli are; Rock Monastery (Kaynarca) Byzantium Period Vize Cavern Monastery (Vize Asmakaya Region) Byzantium Period Ayanikola Monastery (Kıyıköy).
Religion Tourism
Hızırbey Kulliye (Center): The kulliye,which is constructed on 1383 by Kösemihalzade Hızır Bey, is composed of hamam, mosque and arasta. It is also known as Büyük Mosque. Its body is demolished during Balkans War, and repaired on 1937.
Cedit Ali Paşa Mosque (Babaeski): It is thouth that Mimar Sinan's piece of art, mosque is constructed between 1561-1565. It is understood that it is repaired on 1832 from the inscription at west gate of the courtyard. Only mosque had reached today from the kulliye, composed of mosque, theology school, hamam, caravansary and library. A small model of Süleymaniye Mosque, mosque has single balcony.
Sokullu Mehmet Paşa Kulliye (Lüleburgaz): 1570 dated kulliye is a magnificent Ottoman piece of art with its mosque, hamam, theology school and caravansary. Sokullu Mosque, which is repaired on 1839, has an important place among sing domed mosques. Its minaret has been restored and reopened for worship.
GaziSüleymanPaşaMosqueChurch (Küçük Ayasofya, Vize): The church, which is between ramparts at Kale district, is turned into a mosque by Gazi Süleyman Paşa on XVI. century. Frisk ruins can be selceted on plastered walls. Also Islamic period belonging chisel works are present. A complete church appearence is reigning on the structure.
Cavern Monastery (Vize): It is constructed with engraving to the rocks at slopes of the valley, which is north west of Vize province. Most attractive part of the cavern monastery is chapel, and this is very small.
Ayanikola Ayazma (Sacred Fountaın) and Monastery (Kıyıköy): Located near a rock at Papuç River Valley, the monastery can be accessible through two different roads from district andbank of the river.On the rock of 2m height on the road of the district there seven lines inscription.
Shaped totally by engraving into a rock, the structure made up of three sections.
BEACHES
Kırklareli, has an approximately 50 km long natural beach. Most important ones of the beaches are Kıyıköy, İğneada and Kastros'.
Kıyıköy (Midye) It is 40 km. away from Vize. Black Sea dominant, on a rock ground, Kıyıköy Borough, is between two miracle natural sites. Trout, carp and grey mullet can be fished in these rivers and also take tours by motors or boats. There is a narrow, long and a clear beach between Pabuçdere and sea, and you can camp here during summer. There are also promenade possibilities other than fish restaurants and cafes for daily usage in Kıyıköy. House boarding is at an advance level.
İğneada İğneada, which is 25 km away from Demirköy and 97 km away from Kırklareli, has a 40 - 50 m. wide and approximately 10 km. long beach. İğneada, is drawing attention with especially numerous first degree natural site areas at near environment of it.
Kastros Kastros beaches, which are 18 km. away from Kıyıköy and 85 km. away from Kırklareli, are covering an area with 500 meters long and 200 meters wide. Its sea is clear, and its beach is fine sanded, and has a rocky structure from time to time. North and south of the beach is covered with forests. There are facilities, which are covering needs like camping with tent, restaurant, buffet, WC, tea garden, drinking water in beach area.
NATIONAL & NATURAL PARKS
Kırklareli Nature Protection Areas
Kirklareli - Kasatura Körfezi Nature Reserve
Location: The gulf is in Kiyikoy, in the Vize district of the province of Kirklareli in northern Thrace.
Transportation: It can be reached via the Istanbul-Kirklareli state highway, and turning off at Vize. The forest is 48km from Vize.
Highlights: The forest contains the only black pine grove in the Thrace Region, and is a unique forest ecosystem with many animal and plant species.
The main types of trees are black pine, oak, eastern horn-beam, black horn-beam, ash, beech, silver birch, lime and alder. The main types of animals are roe deer, wild roar, wolf, jackal, marten, fox, badger, and rabbit.
CAVES
There are Captain's Cavern and Kıyıköy Cavern at Vize / Kıyıköy, Domuzdere and Yenisu Caverns at Vize / Balkaya other than Dupnisa cavern, one of the most important caverns of Turkey, in Kırklareli.
Kırklareli Cavern
DupnisaCave System
Location: Kırklareli, Demirköy District
The cave is located inside the border of Sarpdere village of Demirköy district, Kırklareli. It is at 5-6 km. southwest of the village. The cave could be reached via vehicles like jeep or tractor.
Properties: The cave has three entrances. The cave is an underground system with the total length of 3200 meters. The first 1000 meters after the entrance is water. The spring born from the cave forms the Rezve Creek, which forms the Turkish - Bulgarian border. The first of the entrances is Dupnisa Dolin entrance. The second entrance is a dry cave and starts with two separate entrances. One of the branches is 456 meters long and the other branch is 363 meters long. The third entrance is the Kız Cave and starts with a slope of 60 degrees. The sub branches of the cave is fossil and the main system is active. There is a saloon with dimensions 150x 60 meters.
ORNITHOLOGY AREAS
İğneada Forests
City: Kırklareli
Provinces: Demirköy
Surface Area :
3000 ha
Altitude: Sea level
Protection: Yes
Main Characteristics: Sweet water lakes, subasar forest
Bird Species: Kara leylek (5 pairs) gains important bird specie status with its population. Also during the autumn immigration important numbers of storks (during the two days counting max. 8366) are passing.
MUSEUMS
KırklareliMuseum Kırklareli Museum is officially opened for visitors on 14th January, 1994. There are currently 553 ethnographic, 1189 archeological, 1995 coins, a total of 3737 registered pieces of art in Kırklareli Museum. These pieces of art are including a time segment, progressed from Pre Historical period till Republic Period in connection with historical course.
Museum Tel : (+ 90 - 288) 214 21 39
Geography
Climate of Kırklareli is varying according to the regions. At sea distant parts and center of Kırklareli terrestrial climate is dominant. Summers are hot, and winters are cold and snowy from time to time. At the north facing parts of Mount Yıldız, Black Sea climate is faced. In connection to this, summers are cool and winters are cold.
History
It is understood from the documents found that massive people are settled here from Neolithic age (6000 B. C.), Calcolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages. In the region, Trocs, Persians, Macedonians, Galats, Britannia Kingdom, Romans, Byzantium and Ottoman reign were dominant.
What to Buy
Cheese, handcrafts and traditional wooden furniture as well as textile products can be bought.
Don't Leave Without
- Seeing Hızır Bey Mosque and Külliye,
- Eating quail paper kebab and sheep yogurt,
- Drinking hardaliye,
- Buying cheese.
Sites
Registered Immobile Cultural and Natural Heritages in Kırklareli
Sites
Archaeological Sites: 89
Urban Sites: 1
Natural Sites: 9
Historical Sites: 2
Other Sites
Archaeological and Natural Sites: 2
Archaeological and Urban Sites: 1
Historical and Urban Sites: 1
Total: 105
Cultural (at Single Construction Scale) and Natural
Heritages: 247
TOTAL: 352
Contact Information
Provincial Cultural Directorate
Tel: (288) 214 19 47
Fax: (288) 214 19 47
Museum
Kırklareli Museum Address: Kırklareli
Tel: (288) 214 21 39
Provincial Directorate
Tel: (288) 214 l6 62 - 214 15 22
Governorship : (+90-288) 212 17 26
Municipality : (+90-288) 212 32 32
Hospital : (+90-288) 214 10 43 - 214 12 73
Police : (+90-288) 212 30 50
Gendarme : (+90-288) 214 62 73
LINKS
The Provinces Of 
