Kastamonu is an inland city near the Black Sea coast, in Turkey.
From 13th to 15th century, Kastamonu was the capital of Candaroğlu (also known as Jandarids and Isfendiyarids), a Turkic principality ruled what is now Western Karadeniz (or, as known in ancient times, Paphlagonia), which, in 1461, fell to Ottomans, which started as another small Turkic principality and took control of others one by one. Kastamonu continued to be one of the important centres of Asian Turkey, in addition to being the capital of a large province extending all the way from Istanbul's Asian suburbs to Sinop during Ottoman period.
With a population of 91,000 as of 2010, Kastamonu is one of the smaller mid-sized cities of Turkey.
The city lies elongatedly along the banks of a river. The southern part forms the historic core (although traditional cityscape is pierced by modern concrete constructions at parts), while the northern half of the city is built completely within the last decades. All around this linear city is sparsely-wooded higher mountains.
The old town is dotted by historic half-timbered houses (although a bit weary and in need of a renovation), elegant 19th century stone buildings, numerous mosques dating back to Candaroğlu and Ottoman eras, and pleasant ancient bazaar buildings (not entirely unlike the nearby and much better known Safranbolu, although Kastamonu's old town is partially replaced by modern, ugly buildings). On the top of a rocky hill (about 200 m higher than the city itself) to the southwest of the city is the quite well-preserved citadel (free admission as of Apr 2011), overlooking the old town and a large part of the rest of the city. The foundations of the citadel date back to Byzantines, however it was the Candaroğlu who gave it its current shape. The climb up there through the narrow uphill alleys of the old town is a bit strenuous (and takes around 20 minutes) but the view is worth the effort.
On the opposite side across the river—which is spanned by, in addition to numerous modern bridges, by an ancient stone bridge, although the both ends of its 3-arch span were extensively rebuilt to allow for the passage of two modern streets—around the southern end of the city is the historic governor's office backed by a pleasant clocktower dating back to Ottoman period on the top of a hill.
Horse riding in Daday, a nearby town.
- Local sweet halva (çekme helvası) can be found at stores all over the city, starting from 1 TL for 100-g packages or 2 TL for 300-g packages.
- There is a large shopping mall at about the midway between two ends of the city, on the main street, between the old town and the newer northern suburbs. In addition to a number of other stores, it hosts a large Migros supermarket.
Local sweet halva (çekme helvası) can be found at stores all over the city, starting from 1 TL for 100-g packages or 2 TL for 300-g packages.
There is a large shopping mall at about the midway between two ends of the city, on the main street, between the old town and the newer northern suburbs. In addition to a number of other stores, it hosts a large Migros supermarket.
Local etli ekmek is kind of a large pizza, topped by cheese and spicy bacons (pastırma), quite dissimilar to the dish known by the same name in the Central Anatolian city of Konya. You'll find numerous eateries all around the city serving etli ekmek, and along with a soup and some salad, it costs around 7-8 TL.
The local telephone code is (+90) 366.
- İnebolu to north is a pleasant seaside town on the Black Sea.
- Safranbolu to west is a World Heritage site and has a very well preserved old town with whitewashed half-timbered houses.
- Ilgaz National Park, just half an hour's drive to south of Kastamonu, off the highway to Ankara, is centred around the Ilgaz Mountain, which, with its dark green spruce forests and snow-white vistas even in April, offers an almost Nordic landscape in the middle of Turkey, starkly contrasting with the windswept hills and treeless steppes of Central Anatolia further to south. Ilgaz also offers wintersport activities and accommodation (ranging from resort hotels to wooden bungalows).