Places to Visit

Abant Lake National Park is a national park located in the Mudurnu district of Bolu Province, Turkey. It is situated between the Abant and Keremali mountain ranges, which form the second branch of the Western Black Sea mountain range running parallel to the Black Sea coast. It covers an area of 1,262 hectares (12.62 km²).

The Yedigöller Basin, covering an area of 1,642 hectares, was designated a national park in 1965. The basin consists of seven lakes, formed when landslides blocked the entrances to the valleys, connected by surface and underground water flows, and arranged in a row stretching 1,500 meters from north to south. Remains from the Early Byzantine Period found at the “Köyyeri” site within the national park indicate that the region was a settlement in ancient times. There are seven lakes within the national park: Büyükgöl, Seringöl, Deringöl, Nazlıgöl, Küçükgöl, İncegöl, and Sazlıgöl. These lakes are situated on two plateaus separated by a 100-meter elevation difference. The largest of the lakes on the plateau, which averages 780 meters in elevation, is Büyükgöl. Its deepest point is 15 meters. Deringöl, located southeast of Büyükgöl, is connected to it via a 20-meter-long flowing section.

Located 13 kilometers south of downtown Bolu, this is an artificial reservoir. Situated at an elevation of 1,217 meters, the lake covers an area of 4.5 hectares and has a circumference of approximately 1,300 meters. Surrounded by pine, spruce, beech, hornbeam, and mixed-species trees, the lake offers a breathtaking view in every season. Right on the shore of the lake, which is enveloped in nature’s extraordinary beauty, stands a charming building serving as the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s “State Guesthouse.” In addition to this facility, the area around the lake features a restaurant known as a “country inn,” a country-style eatery, a cafeteria, a snack bar, a mosque, and bungalow-style lodging facilities. The lake and its surroundings have been designated as a “Nature Park” and are protected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Vehicles are not permitted in the area surrounding this very charming and small lake.

The region is a very ancient settlement area. In particular, the discovery of ceremonial axes, various bowls, jars, seals, spears, and small statues, the settlement remains in the Çeltikdere Valley provide valuable insights into the region’s history. In addition, the rock-cut dwellings and caves found in Solaklar, Muslar, Seylik, and Kabak have survived to the present day as concrete evidence of long-standing settlement in Seben.According to the findings, while the Hittites were the primary inhabitants of the Seben region, by around 1000 B.C., in parallel with changes in regional governance, the area successively came under the rule of the Phrygians, the Lydians, and, for a brief period, the Persians. After 334 B.C., the Seben region, along with Bolu, was incorporated into the borders of Bithynia. and following the transfer of Bithynian territories to the Romans in 74 B.C., it first came under Roman rule, and then, after the division of the Roman Empire in 395 A.D., it fell under Eastern Roman, or Byzantine, rule. The region, which remained under Byzantine rule for many years, could not escape being caught between the armies of the Persians and the Byzantines during their wars, and historical records also note that Abbasid armies were occasionally seen in this area.

It is located 13 kilometers west of downtown Bolu, within the boundaries of Elmalık Village, 4 kilometers north of the Abant Road intersection, on a hill bearing its own name, within a forested area. The graves of Hayrettin-i Tokadi, a member of the Halvetiyye order, and his disciples are enclosed within concrete frames. The grave of Hayrettin-i Tokadi, who passed away in 930 AH (1524 AD), is housed within an iron cage. The tombstones are made of marble and are of recent construction.

Göynük is a district located in the southwestern part of Bolu Province, comprising seven neighborhoods and sixty-six villages, and is famous for its “sugar beans,” “ugut marmalade,” “embroidered tablecloths,” and “wood carvings.”[4] Rich in traditional Turkish houses dating back to the early 20th century, the district has been designated an “Urban Conservation Area” due to its 137 historic residences, 21 mosques, tombs, fountains, bathhouses, towers, and cemeteries, has been designated an “Urban Conservation Area.” The district also features a historic mosque, bathhouse, and mansion built in the 14th century by Gazi Süleyman Pasha.