What an atmosphere! When you're standing at 1800 m above sea level, on what feels like a flat plain dominated by a few dented summits, you know you are witnessing something very special. I arrived in Erzurum at the end of March, when it was coated with the last flecks of dwindling snow and a light that I had never seen before except during my trip to Armenia. The moon crater landscape with its volcanic mountains and the clear winter light certainly impressed me.
When I arrived in Erzurum, I took an immediate liking to the historical remains of the city, although the majority of the little streets have since been replaced by the fairly modern town centre - which is nonetheless pleasant and lively. The two madrasas from the Seljuq period (XIII-XIV Century) are masterpieces of Islamic art - bare, adorned with magnificent bas-reliefs and amazing colours, with green or blue ceramic bringing out certain details among the austere reddish-brown colour of the volcanic stone. The citadel is another impressive historical site, along with the several mausoleums that are interspersed throughout this very religious city.
What an atmosphere! When you're standing at 1800 m above sea level, on what feels like a flat plain dominated by a few dented summits, you know you are witnessing something very special. I arrived in Erzurum at the end of March, when it was coated with the last flecks of dwindling snow and a light that I had never seen before except during my trip to Armenia. The moon crater landscape with its volcanic mountains and the clear winter light certainly impressed me.
When I arrived in Erzurum, I took an immediate liking to the historical remains of the city, although the majority of the little streets have since been replaced by the fairly modern town centre - which is nonetheless pleasant and lively. The two madrasas from the Seljuq period (XIII-XIV Century) are masterpieces of Islamic art - bare, adorned with magnificent bas-reliefs and amazing colours, with green or blue ceramic bringing out certain details among the austere reddish-brown colour of the volcanic stone. The citadel is another impressive historical site, along with the several mausoleums that are interspersed throughout this very religious city.
