Eskişehir, the Venice of Türkiye, offers gondola tours along the Porsuk River, blending history with charm.

By Nil Güler, PhD

Işkun aldı benden beni bana seni gerek seni
Ben yanarım düni güni bana seni gerek seni
-Yunus Emre

The above verses belong to Yunus Emre, born and died in Eskisehir. He was a Turkish folk poet and Sufi who greatly influenced Turkish culture and was also one of the first known poets to have composed works in the spoken Old Anatolian Turkish.
The city of Eskişehir is sited on the banks of Porsuk River, which flows into the Sakarya River. Porsuk Dam controls the flow of the water in the river. The Phrygians founded the city in at least 1,000 BC, although it has been estimated to be older than 4,000 years.
Eskişehir is an old and culturally developed province of Türkiye. Eskişehir has three universities: Eskişehir Technical University (newly founded) and Anadolu University, the largest university in Türkiye, which has some branch offices in Europe. Eskişehir’s population has a high literacy level of 99%. Many universities and military installations are located in and around the city.

Economy
The first Turkish automobile, Devrim, was produced in 1961 at the TÜLOMSAŞ factory in Eskişehir. Devrim was never put into mass production, stayed as a concept study, and can be viewed in TÜLOMSAŞ factory.
In addition, the first Turkish steam-powered locomotive, Karakurt, was produced at the TÜLOMSAŞ in 1961.
Eskişehir was also the site of Türkiye’s first aviation industry (Aeronautical Supply Maintenance Centre).

Population
The city has a significant population of Turkic Crimean Tatars. It also attracted ethnic Turks emigrating from Balkan countries such as Bulgaria, Romania, Bosnia, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Eskişehir also hosted the inaugural Turkvision Song Contest in 2013, which aims to highlight music and artists from various Turkic-speaking regions. Although its population is a little more than 800,000, the city is vigorous and lively, densely populated by young students. The city streets are full of cafes, sculptures, pubs, restaurants, shops, and malls, and theprices are very affordable for students.

Venice of Türkiye
In Eskisehir you can have Gondola tours in Porsuk Stream, which is the most extended branch of Sakarya River. There is even a sandy beach.

Odunpazari Historical Urban Site
It is a significant example of cities established by the Turks within Anatolia. The architectural style of Odunpazari houses carries the characteristics of traditional Turkish housing architecture. Not only individual structures but also the harmony of the houses with each other and their surroundings is a remarkable aspect of the site. The Odunpazarı Houses Survival Project helped renovate old homes around the district, and Eskişehir regained its historic fabric. Nowadays, these houses are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
In addition to these houses, Alaeddin Mosque and Kurşunlu Mosque are situated in Alaeddin Park at Odunpazarı. According to an inscription at the base of its minaret, it was built in 1267, during the reign of Seljuq Sultan of Rûm Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev III.

Kurşunlu Mosque and Complex
The mosque is named for its lead-covered dome and built between 1517 and 1525.

Mevlevism
Mevlevism has lived at this site for more than four centuries and is known to be the largest and most famous of the Sufi religious orders, formed by the need and opportunities of the time. Eskişehir Mevlevi Order was founded around 1572, consisting of a mosque, a hall for Sema Ceremony, an elementary school (now Kurşunlu Library), dervish cells, a ceremonial kitchen, guest rooms, a storage and soup kitchen, and an inn (caravansarai).

Fairytale Castle
It is designed to enrich children’s imagination while synthesizing all Anatolian cultures with its unique architectural design. It visualizes old Turkish folk tales and their prominent figures, such as Nasreddin Hoca and Keloğlan. The castle has eight towers, imitating famous historical buildings around Türkiye, such as İstanbul’s two symbol structures, Galata Tower and Maiden Tower, and Mardin’s Ulu Kule. Including an Amphitheatre and a set of playgrounds and concert halls, Fairytale Castle hosts plenty of cultural events and festivals throughout the year.

Esminya
Near the Fairytale Castle, EsminyaTürk is a museum that exhibits a collection of miniatures of some famous Turkish and foreign buildings. It is a great museum that presents 32 famous Turkish historical buildings minimized on a scale of 1/25. The most popular miniature works attracting visitors are India’s Taj Mahal in India and the historic Selimiye Mosque,

Anadolu University Republic History Museum
The Eskişehir Republic History Museum is in the Odunpazarı region. Anadolu University inaugurated this museum on April 23, 1994. It offers a unique opportunity to understand the history of Türkiye’s Republic era.

Turkic World Culture, Arts Centre
Turkic World Culture, Arts Centre is also situated in Eskişehir’s Sazova Park. Its Science and History section exhibits Ottoman and Seljuk architecture.

AU Aviation Park
As a unit operating under the administration of Anadolu University, Aviation Park aims to bring travelers, visitors, and local people of the city together with a love of aviation and to support aviation-related activities such as generating knowledge in the field and developing aviation in Türkiye.

Atlıhan Crafts Bazaar
This old bazaar was founded around the 1850s to accommodate merchants, travelers, and villagers from the neighboring villages and cities. Having offered services such as care for the horses, it once served as a caravanserai.
Today, Atlıhan Crafts Bazaar is vital for old Turkish handicrafts to survive in the modern world.

Wax Museum (Balmumu Heykel Müzesi)
This is Türkiye’s first-ever wax museum. The museum’s collection includes two hundred wax sculptures of some Turkish cultural and political figures and some idols worldwide.

What to Eat
Eskişehir’s flavors are traditional çibörek, balaban kebap, met helva, and ancient boza. ■