Kağızman lies on an alluvial plain in the Aras Valley. The Aras flows through the Kağızman district for more than 50 kilometres. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing between the town centre and the wider district: the castle and Eski Kilise are in the town centre, while other cultural and landscape features are located in the surrounding area or elsewhere in the district.

Castle history in the town centre and surrounding area

The stone castle of Kağızman was built in 1579 in the Çarşı Mahallesi neighbourhood. The Ağrı earthquake, which began on 30 May 1664, lasted seven days and seven nights and destroyed the castle and the Süleyman Han Mosque beside it. Eski Kilise is also in the town centre; it was converted into a mosque. These places represent different chapters in the town’s history: construction, destruction and conversion.

Other castles lie in the surrounding area. Keçivan Castle is northwest of Kağızman district, at the foot of Aladağ, and was formerly a sancak centre. The small medieval Köroğlu Castle near Kötek is on the Kars–Kağızman road. It was built to control the road and was used mainly in the 16th century. While the castle in Kağızman town centre is associated with a specific year of construction, these two sites tell of historical administrative and control functions.

Rock art at Camuşlu Yazılıkaya

Near Kağızman, the rock art of Camuşlu Yazılıkaya is found on the eastern slopes of Aladağ. It dates from the Upper Palaeolithic. The site consists of two rock-art panels depicting humans and animals. The larger panel is about 14 metres long and 4 metres wide. Yazılıkaya therefore offers a different cultural focus from the castles: here, prehistoric images take centre stage, rather than the history of construction and use.

Landscapes between cave and lake

The Kurbanağa Cave near Yazılıkaya is 11.5 metres deep. Inside, it is 55 metres wide, and its opening measures 12.5 metres. Denizgölü, meanwhile, is a freshwater lake in the western part of Kağızman district, 3.5 kilometres north of the Aras. Mirror carp are found in the lake. These are two distinct landscape features: the cave can be described by its dimensions, and the lake by its location, freshwater and fish species.

Kağızman Uzun Elması and its local connection

Kağızman Uzun Elması is a protected designation of origin. Protection under Law No. 6769 has been in force since 12 July 2012; registration took place on 25 December 2017. The geographical area covers Kağızman district in Kars Province. Of Turkey’s 25 apple varieties, this one is considered particularly closely associated with Kağızman. The sweet fruit is cylindrical and noticeably longer than an egg.

The harvest takes place around 1 October, a date regarded as Kağızman’s liberation day. The song “Kağızman’a ısmarladım nar gele” is also associated with pomegranate cultivation in Kağızman. The apple and the song thus offer two different ways into the area’s history of local produce and culture. When choosing a holiday apartment in Kağızman, you can first consider whether local history, rock art, landscapes or local produce will be the main focus of your trip.

Discover more destinations

Yukarıdamlapınar, Sarıkamış, Dağpınar, Kars, Akyaka, Çolaklı, Yenice, Selim

For the main travel overview: Kars.