BOLU TURKEY

Lake Abant

Formed by a landslide, Lake Abant (Abant Gölü) is surrounded by fir andpine trees at an altitude of 1,350 meters. The lake is fed by several springs;adding to its allure is that it is also fed by continuous snow and rainwater.

Abant Lake and its surrounding land are rich in flora and fauna. The lake’sbanks are thick with aquatic plants, water lilies and Abant Çiğdemi (Crocusabantensis).  Inhabiting the lake are red-spotted trout, also knownas Abant Alası (Salmo turutta abanticus). Theforests around the lake are a habitat for the Red Deer. In short, Lake Abant isa natural wonder that brings peace to visitors throughout the year, thanks toits quiet and calm atmosphere.

Seven Lakes National Park

The Seven Lakes National Park (Yedi Göller Milli Parkı), which features oneof Türkiye’s most beautiful natural landscapes, is visited by hundreds ofthousands of people each year. Set 42 km north of Bolu, the park is a habitatfor numerous plant and tree species.

The national park includes seven lakes in a 1,500-metre line from north tosouth. Ruins dating to the New Byzantine Period in the villageof Köyyeri, also in the national park, indicate that theregion was a settlement in antiquity.

In the park’s forests, the main tree species are beech, hornbeam, oak, alder,maple, elm, aspen, yellow and black pine, fir, hazel, linden, and ash.

There are also endangered animal species such as the badger in Seven Lakes.

The seven lakes in the park are ideal for camping, although there arebungalows available as well. The area is often used in photo shoots due to itscolourful and stunning natural beauty.  

Nature Park of Gölcük

An emblematic image of Bolu is the view of the Lonely House (YalnızEv) by the lake. Set in the Nature Park of Gölcük (Gölcük TabiatParkı), the Lonely House blends perfectly with nature, emanating anunmistakable calm. The Nature Park of Gölcük is, on average, about 1,217 metersabove sea level, with forests comprised of fir, beech and hornbeam trees. Thereare hiking trails, viewing terraces and picnic areas – in fact, the nature parkis an important recreation, picnic, and nature sports area due to its uniqueclimatic features. 

Sülüklü Göl Nature Park

Set in the Mudurnu district, Sülüklü Göl Nature Park(Sülüklü Göl Tabiat Parkı) features wetlands and forests, and an astonishingdiversity of flora and fauna that make these ecosystems their homes. The lakein the park came about as a result of tectonic movements, and the tops ofsubmerged trees can still be seen in the lake, creating an almost surrealpicture.

Black pine, Scotch pine, fir, English oak, durmast oak, acorn oak, poplar,silver poplar, hornbeam, sycamore, linden, maple, alder, wild cherry and ashare among the tree species found in the Natural Park. Animals such as roe deer,wild boars, bears, wolves, foxes and rabbits live in park, as do hawks and treefrogs. Offering visitors, a calm and quiet environment shaded with lush greenhues, Sülüklü Göl has a reputation as one of Türkiye’s most scenic routes forhiking, camping and trekking.

Kartalkaya Ski Centre

In recent years, Kartalkaya expanded its popularity with modern ski runsand updated facilities, as well as ski runs amid pine forests. The centre is 38km southeast of Bolu; its proximity to Istanbul and Ankara makes it a populardestination for residents of those cities. Kartalkaya Ski Centre (KartalkayaKayak Merkezi) offers visitors an excellent skiing and winter holidayopportunity with accommodation capacity for more than 1,500 guests.

Museum of Bolu

The Museum of Bolu (Bolu Müzesi) was established in 1981, with the aim ofpreserving the artifacts around Bolu and presenting these to visitors. Themuseum features a number of archaeological and ethnographic displays, includingextensive exhibitions of items from the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, as wellas artifacts from the Old Bronze Age to the Neolithic Period.

Rock Houses of Seben

The Seben Rock Houses (Seben Kaya Evleri) are a series of rock-carved homesin the Seben district. Each house is four to five levels, withthe levels connected by chimney stairs.

Crosses and Latin inscriptions painted on the walls and niches of rooms inthe Seben Rock Houses suggest that these were used from the EarlyChristian Period to the Middle Byzantine Period.

Travertines of Akkaya

The Akkaya Travertines (Akkaya Travertenleri), 10 km from the centre ofBolu, are natural formations formed by subterranean waters with a temperatureof over 20 degrees. The underground mineral waters are rich in calcium andtheir outflow has carved a natural rock pool where visitors can swim. There isalso a fountain, where visitors can drink the natural mineral water, which hasa mild taste. The travertines are set amid a lush forest – the icy blue andwhite colours of the travertines and the water, with a vivid green background,are reminiscent of a painting.

Houses of Göynük

Göynük, an urban site that has preserved its historical, cultural,architectural and natural beauties from the Ottomans to the present, holds thetitle of a Slow Town (Cittaslow). As a place where traditionalvalues are kept alive, Göynük is a typical Ottoman town built in thevalleys, the base and the foot of high hills. Its advantageous location betweenAnatolia and Istanbul, and the saffron trade of the 14th century, enabledGöynük to develop economically. Göynük’s historical structures, the oldest ofwhich is about 700 years old, include homes, workplaces, baths, tombs and acemetery, as well as historical plane trees. Many of these buildings are stillused for their original functions.

You can observe important examples of Turkish life and the settlementculture of Anatolia in Göynük. Reflecting the traditional Turkish civilarchitecture of the early 20th century, these types of houses usually featurehipped roofs and are covered with locally produced tiles; they are one or twolevels, with a ground floor and interior stairs. In front of the houses arealso courtyards called life. The living rooms of some houses haveceilings decorated with various motifs.

Houses of Mudurnu

Mudurnu, declared as an urban protected area and a Slow Town (Cittaslow), hasdozens of old Turkish houses bearing the traces of Ottoman civil architecture.These houses, similar to the Göynük Houses in terms of their civilarchitectural features, reflect the history and culture of the district. Theyare historical buildings worth seeing. In Mudurnu, where the Ahi culture hasexisted for centuries, a ritual called Tradesmen Prayer and BreadThrowing is performed every Friday. Mudurnu is also a candidate forthe UNESCO Cultural Heritage List with the Akhism (Ahilik)tradition.