Tokat

Understand

Veni, vidi, vici - Julius Caesar, after his quick victory at Zela in 47 BC There are traces of a city back to Hittite times, and in the first century BC an independent kingdom of Pontus held out against the Romans. Julius Caesar, who'd been a mite distracted with Cleopatra, swiftly crushed the forces of Pontus at Zela, now Zila near Tokat, coining his famous phrase in a report to the Senate. There's nothing to see at the battle site, and the Romans didn't do much for the town. It was embellished and its castle reinforced by the Seljuks from the 11th century and the Ottomans from the 15th. Tokat was a trading centre, mined copper and fashioned textiles. Modern development has been limited and has spared many of its old mosques and Ottoman mansions.

Get in

Tokat is 375 km east of Ankara, a 5 hour drive via D200 / 190 / 180.

Get around

Walk: most sights and amenities are on or near the north-south main avenue Gaziosmanpaşa Blv, usually abbreviated to GOP. Dolmuşes, buses and taxis ply along it, which you might want coming from the bus station or outlying hotels. The avenue is named for Osman Nuri Pasha (1832-1900), the field marshal who held up the Russian advance into Ottoman lands in Bulgaria.

Seek directions from your hotel if you arrive by car into Sulusokak the east-west old road, it's fiendishly narrow and difficult to park.

See

thumb | 300px | Ali Pasha Mosque perched on a crag has been in use for millennia as a bastion or prison. There's a legend that Vlad the Impaler aka Dracula was held hostage here, but more likely that was in Eğrigöz near Kütahya. Vlad was about 14, and released when his father bought off the Ottoman Sultan. The castle is closed for repairs in 2025. Grand Mosque south foot of castle rock was established in the 13th century but rebuilt in 1679. It is 50m northeast of the museum and always open. Sulusokak is the narrow street south of the castle that was the original spine of the town. It's mostly modern but has a scattering of old mansions, museums and tombs. Two caravanserai have been converted into hotels. City museum across the street is its continuation. Tokat Culture House another 100m west is an ethnography museum in an Ottoman mansion, but closed for restoration. is at the foot of Sulusokak where it meets GOP Blv. Built in 1572, the complex includes a hamam, and the courtyard has the tombs of Ali Paşa and his son Mustafa Bey. Taş Han is a caravanserai built in 1631, on GOP Blv opposite the main square. It's now a shopping centre open daily 08:00-00:00. Gök Medrese 50 m further north along GOP Blv was built in the 1270s. It housed museums and was a major attraction until 2012 when they relocated to Sulusokak. It lacks a purpose and has been closed for restoration ever since. Hatuniye on Meydan Cd off GOP Blv is a külliyesi built 1485. Typically these contained a mosque,…

Do

thumb | 300px | Tokat castle crag Hamams are traditional Turkish baths. Half a dozen in town, the most central are Ali Paşa across the boulevard from Ali Paşa Mosque, open daily 06:00-23:00. Football: Tokatspor play soccer down in the amateur leagues at Gaziosmanpaşa Stadium (capacity 5700) by the D180 / D850 junction.

Buy

Small supermarkets are in the blocks between GOP Blv and Behzat Cd, usually open daily 08:00-22:00.

Yazmaları are wood blocks used for printing patterns on fabrics. Gift shops sell them.

Eat

Traditional Tokat Kebabı is sliced lamb, aubergine, potato, green bell peppers and tomatoes. Zile pekmezi is a mush of grapes in syrup, mixed with egg-whites to form a pale marshmallow-like paste. There's a string of little eating places up and down GOP Blv near the Meydan or main square.

Drink

Cafes and restaurants serve alcohol.

Sleep

thumb | 300px | Tokat Mevlevihane

Connect

Tokat and its approach highways have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of 2025, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.