19 shrines in Turkey You Have to Visit: Our Recommendations
Unveil the top 19 must-visit shrines in Turkey with our curated list. Immerse yourself in 19 best shrines or discover hidden treasures with 19 must-visit shrines. Don’t miss 19 top-rated shrines to experience Turkey’s best.
Information about Turkey
Turkey is a country in Asia with an amazing strategic location, as its borders connect Asia and Europe, and it is bordered to the north by the Black Sea and Georgia, to the east by Armenia and Iran, to the south by Iraq, Syria and the Mediterranean Sea, and to the west by Greece and Bulgaria. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations for Arab tourists, for several reasons, including the similarity of Turkish culture with Arab culture, as well as its location in the Middle East. It is one of the first human colonies in the world, and many civilizations and empires passed through it and settled in it, the last of which was the Ottoman Empire, and that made Turkey a country with a very rich history, so you will find landmarks and evidence of the different civilizations that passed through Turkey in all its parts. Its population is approximately 75 million, and its capital and largest city is Istanbul. Turkey is one of the countries with diverse natural features, in which you will be able to see many forests, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and many more.
A list of the best Shrines in Turkey
Looking for the best shrines in Turkey? Look no further than our carefully curated list, selected by our team based on visitor ratings and reviews to help make your trip planning a breeze.
1- Eşrefoğlu Rumi Mausoleum
Eşrefoğlu Rumi Mausoleum – The Rumi Mausoleum of Esrafoglu is part of the Esrefzade Mosque and serves as a small tomb attached to the mosque. The mausoleum room is distinguished by its distinctive architectural design and the ceramic paintings and murals that decorate it, which include brightly colored plant shapes that attract the attention of tourists and prompt them to document them by taking memorial photos of themselves near them.
Place address: Beyler, Hüseyin Oktay Sk. No:33, 16860 İznik/Bursa, Turkey
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2- Osman Gazi Tomb
Osman Gazi Tomb – Osman Gazi, the founder of the Ottoman Empire, lived between the years (1258 and 1324) AD, and was buried in the mausoleum that was built on the chapel of the Byzantine monastery. The mausoleum, which was destroyed by a fire in 1801 AD and an earthquake in 1855 AD, was restored to its current form in 1863 AD. It was built by Sultan Abdülaziz, and remained faithful to its ancient structure, which is a wooden coffin inlaid with mother-of-pearl in the center of the tomb surrounded by a balustrade decorated with mother-of-pearl, and embroidered with silver on velvet, which shows the dates of Osman Ghazi’s personality, his birth, the year of rule, and death.
Place address: Osmangazi, Yiğitler Cd. No:4, 16040 Osmangazi/Bursa, Turkey
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3- Orhan Gazi Tomb
Orhan Gazi Tomb – Sultan Orhan, son of Osman Ghazi and the second sultan of the Ottoman Empire, lived between 1281-1362 AD, and during his life he bought Bursa and its surroundings from the Byzantines, established government institutions and printed regional Ottoman money. Upon his death, a mausoleum was built on the floor mosaics of the Monastery of St. Elie, with a distinctive design, which includes three windows on each side of the mausoleum, which was built in a square shape, with white painted interior walls and simple arches on the windows.
Place address: Osmangazi, Yiğitler Cd., 16040 Osmangazi/Bursa, Turkey
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4- Abdurrahman Gazi Tomb
Abdurrahman Gazi Tomb – The tomb of Abd al-Rahman Ghazi is located in the historical city of Erzurum, and it is one of the sacred monuments in it, where Abdurrahman Ghazi was a warrior of Ertuğrul, and a delegation distinguished by his courage and willingness to battle valiantly, and he also had a military career with Osman I He was one of the first leaders of the Ottoman Empire, along with the likes of Turgut Alp, and was the conqueror of the Byzantine fortress of Aydos. This monument was erected in honor of this great personality, who became an example of courage.
Place address: Abdurrahman Gazi, 25080 Palandöken/Erzurum, Turkey
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5- Emir Sultan Mausoleum
Emir Sultan Mausoleum – The tomb of Emir Sultan, which was built in the fifteenth century by Hondy Hatun, the wife of Emir Sultan, is located on the outskirts of Uludağ, east of Bursa. It was renovated in 1868 during the reign of Abdul Hamid. The mausoleum has an octagonal plan covered with a dome supported by a high ball. On one of the windows facing the mosque, Islamic inscriptions draw attention to their beauty. In the middle, there is the sarcophagus of Prince Sultan, and next to it the sarcophagus of his son Prince Ali. Later, a mosque was erected around the mausoleum, which today has become one of the largest mosques in the city.
Place address: Emirsultan, Emir Sultan Mezarlığı, 16360 Yıldırım/Bursa, Turkey
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6- Şehzade Mustafa Tomb
Şehzade Mustafa Tomb – The mausoleum of Şehzad Mustafa is one of the important historical points that distinguish the city of Istanbul, which is characterized by an architectural design with an octagonal structure, in which stone and brick materials were used together, and it includes a dome covered with lead that sits on an octagonal cylinder, and the entrance door contains a marble pillar. From the inside, the walls of the mausoleum are 3 meters high and decorated with motifs of carnations and lilies on a white background. It was learned that it was built for Emir Mustafa (Şehzade Mustafa), who was strangled by Suleiman the Magnificent on the Konya plain.
Place address: Muradiye, 16050 Osmangazi/Bursa, Turkey
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7- Tomb of the Prophet Daniel
Tomb of the Prophet Daniel – The shrine of the Prophet Daniel is of great importance, as it is linked to the story of the Prophet Daniel, who saved the Jews from captivity during the era of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, and then came to the city of Tarsus, which was suffering from famine at the time, but its conditions improved when he came, which made the people of the city stick to his stay in their city and they By building a shrine dedicated to him upon his death, where tourists can visit his grave located in the shrine today.
Place address: Şehitkerim, 33440 Tarsus/Mersin, Turkey
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8- Dolubab Hz. Tomb
Dolubab Hz. Tomb – His Holiness Dolubaba (Dolubab Hz) contributed greatly to the conquests in Turkey and Anatolia through his psychological and moral support for the fighting soldiers, and giving them a strong faith impetus to stabilize them. The sides of the shrine are covered with green spaces that allow visitors to take a stroll after visiting this distinctive landmark.
Place address: Süleymaniye, 16370 Osmangazi/Bursa, Turkey
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9- Tomb of Cimcime Hatun
Tomb of Cimcime Hatun – The tomb of Cemcem Hatun is located on Cumhuriyet Street near the Ulu Mosque in Erzurum. The tomb, which is believed to belong to a woman named Firuz, dates back to the fourteenth century. The mausoleum was characterized by a distinctive building style, as it is a dome body with a round base in perfect harmony with the rest of the building, and the outer structure was covered with arches consisting of circular tube molds. Today, the shrine is one of the most important tourist destinations for history and culture lovers.
Place address: Camiikebir Mh., 25200 Yakutiye/Erzurum, Turkey
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10- Tomb of the Red Midwife
Tomb of the Red Midwife – The tomb of the Red Midwife provides a different perspective of Anatolia’s past from the religious side, and it is home to the tomb of one of the most important religious women in Turkish-Islamic history, known as the Red Midwife, who had a major role in transforming Anatolia into a Turkish Islamic state, as she helped war soldiers and healed their wounds, And they were given ayran to be given to them, which had a great effect in aiding their recovery. In her honor, a mosque was built and named after her, to keep her in mind.
Place address: Taşlıca, 06890 Kızılcahamam/Ankara, Turkey
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11- Zeynel Abidin Mosque Complex
Zeynel Abidin Mosque Complex – The mosque and mausoleum of Zain al-Abidin consists of a mosque, a minaret, two tombs, one for Zain al-Abidin and the other for his sister Zainab, a fountain, school rooms, a cemetery, and new ablution facilities. According to the inscription on the tomb, the building was constructed in the sixth and twelfth centuries AD. The complex was formed within an open courtyard with a garden, generally built with cut stone materials, and the minaret was built in the eastern part of the courtyard in 1956 AD.
Place address: Mor Yakup, Zeynel Abidin Sk., 47300 Nusaybin/Mardin, Turkey
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12- Sayyid Vakkas Tomb
Sayyid Vakkas Tomb – Sayyid Wakkas lived his life in the service of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, and provided many services to the state on the political, religious and social levels. In honor of this great personality, the state decided to establish a monument around his tomb. , with unique ornaments and carvings. Today, the shrine is one of the most important tourist facilities in the city.
Place address: Kapu, Bekirpaşa Cd., 28100 Giresun Merkez/Giresun, Turkey
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13- Sultan II. Mahmut Tomb
Sultan II. Mahmut Tomb – The mausoleum of Sultan Mahmud II was built in the years between 1808-1840 by the son of Sultan Abdul Majeed. The mausoleum was built in the style of the Ottoman Empire, with some classic additions in the style of the French Napoleonic Empire. Within the territory of the complex there are also the tombs of Sultans Abdul Hamid II and Abdul Aziz. Upon entering the shrine, visitors will find Quranic inscriptions on the walls, a magnificent dome, beautiful arches and huge windows covered with silk curtains.
Place address: Binbirdirek, Divan Yolu Cd. No:15, 34110 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey
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14- Yörük Dede Tomb
Yörük Dede Tomb – The tomb of Yoruk Dede is one of the most typical structures you can see in Ankara regarding the tomb in Seljuk architecture. From an architectural point of view, we are in a building whose year of construction coincides with the fourteenth century, and this place displays the typical features of Seljuk tombs. The upper rows in the dome, and the same number of stones were used in each row.
Place address: Sakarya, Öksüzler Sk. No:47, 06230 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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15- Karyagdi Tomb
Karyagdi Tomb – The legend tells the story of a very beautiful girl who lived in Ankara and spent her love there, and this tomb was designed so that the world would remember her with her breathtaking beauty. The design of the tomb is an octagonal dome covered with lead, and the walls are built of cut stone and brick, with windows blocked with iron bars. Although previously renovated, lead was partially poured to preserve the dome. Inside the tomb, there is a box for visitors to make vows, and the visitors, mostly girls, leave something in this box to dedicate a great fortune to themselves.
Place address: Anafartalar, Doğan Sk. No:3, 06050 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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16- Three cupolas
Three cupolas – The shrine of the three domes is considered among the most beautiful examples of mausoleums in Anatolia. It is a stone building consisting of three huge domes, decorated and engraved with the most beautiful geometric motifs. It is believed that the largest of the three domes belongs to Prince Saltuk, and it was built at the end of the century XII, while it is not known to whom the other domes belong, which are estimated to have been built in the fourteenth century, and there are differing opinions as to what the small square building next to the domes, which is often thought to be a mosque, should be.
Place address: Sultanmelik Mh, 25100 Yakutiye/Erzurum, Turkey
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17- Four Foot Mausoleums
Four Foot Mausoleums – The four-footed tomb with a pyramidal roof is located in the northeast of the ancient city of Mersin. The square-plan monument consists of a lower room in the shape of a quadrangular tower, a middle floor with arches on all four sides, and a pyramidal-shaped roof, with a height of 13 meters. The building, which is believed to belong to one of the city’s notables, was built at the beginning of the third century BC, to become one of the city’s distinctive landmarks, which still exists to this day.
Place address: Merkez, Sabahattin Çakmakoğlu Cd. No:40, 33840 Aydıncık/Mersin, Turkey
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18- İmbriogion
İmbriogion – Embryogon is an archaeological mausoleum located in the city of Mersin, characterized by the fact that it includes a number of tombs of historical, political and religious figures who left an imprint on the city. This mausoleum was designed in a distinctive architectural style, where there are four columns with Ionic capitals at the bottom and Corinthian capitals at the top on the facade of the two-storey building whose roof cover has been destroyed, and there is also a rock tomb next to this mausoleum. The two shrines that stand side by side on the right are among the most striking artifacts. Art, inscriptions, and animal statues are evident in the architectural decorations decorating the building of this shrine.
Place address: Demircili, 33940 Silifke/Mersin, Turkey
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19- Donuktaş Shrine
Donuktaş Shrine – The tomb of Donuktash is of great importance in terms of tourism, culture, archeology and history, as specialists believe that the construction of this shrine was in the first centuries AD to be a model of coexistence in the city of Tarsus. Tourists enjoy a great deal when visiting the ancient temple, seeing the parts revealed by excavations, and taking memorial photos there.
Place address: Tekke, 3710. Sk. No:24, 33440 Tarsus/Mersin, Turkey
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Conclusion
We hope our guide has inspired you to explore the wonders of Turkey. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, there’s always something new and exciting to discover in this amazing region. From stunning natural landscapes to rich cultural heritage, Turkey has it all. So pack your bags, grab your camera, and get ready to embark on an unforgettable adventure. Don’t forget to share your experiences with us and tag us on social media using #ExploreTurkey. We can’t wait to see where your journey takes you!