"ESKISEHIR" Top 5 Page for this destination Eskisehir by Arkeolog

Eskisehir Travel Guide: 68 reviews and 196 photos

Sightseeing boat on Porsuk River - Eskisehir
Sightseeing boat on Porsuk River
Modern City with an Old Name; ESKISEHIR

Eski=Old and Sehir=City in Turkish. Eskisehir is located at the western part of Central Anatolia. The city famous for its restored historical houses, River Porsuk, canals, bridges and meerschaum artifacts (luletasi).

Luletasi/Meerschaum or "White Gold of Eskisehir"
Meerschaum pipe - Eskisehir

Meerschaum pipe

Meerschaum is a soft white stone which mineralogists call sepiolite (hydrous magnesium silicate, called lületasi [LUR-leh-tah-shuh] in Turkish).

It's mined in villages near Eskisehir in Aegean Turkey and carved into beads, necklaces, earrings and especially tobacco pipes.

A wooden derrick is built above a rectangular pit dug to reach the vein of meerschaum. Men go down in the pit, sometimes 100 meters (328 feet) deep, to dig in the dirt for "white gold".You'll find articles carved from meerschaum for sale all over Turkey, and especially in Istanbul's Grand Bazaar. Meerschaum pipes are the most familiar and famous item.

Odunpazari Houses
odunpazari Historical House - Eskisehir

odunpazari Historical House

Odunpazari Houses
The city of Eskisehir has a history going back thousands of years, and has been home to many civilizations, including the Hittites, Phrygians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans. So this is not only a geographical crossroads but a cultural melting pot. The old quarter of the city known as Odunpazari, and to locals as Yukari Mahalle or Hatap Pazari, is one of the districts where the Turks first settled after they began their conquest of the region in 1074. Legend relates that the first settlers chose the healthiest and airiest area to build their homes by hanging up shee'sg lungs in three places: Sarhöyük (the ancient Dorylaeion), Köprübasi, the site of thermal springs on the edge of the Porsuk River (the ancient Tembris), and Odunpazari on the hillside south of the city where there is thought to have been an earlier settlement in Roman and Byzantine times.

Pros and Cons
  • Pros:Satisfying History and artifacts for reasonable prices
  • Cons:Too Cold in winter
  • Last visit to Eskisehir: May 2010
  • Intro Updated May 24, 2010
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Reviews (21)

Marbling on Glass - Eskisehir Marbling on Glass Shopping (2)

Eskisehir Luletasi Shop is located at Atlihan-Odunpazari district. They have a great collection for marbling on glass... more travel advice

Meerschaum Turk's Head Pipe - Eskisehir Meerschaum - Luletasi Shopping (2)

There is a little workshop in it and meerschaum artist goes on to carve pieces such as candlestick, thimbles, necklaces... more travel advice

Met Helva - Eskisehir Tasting Met Helva (Halva) Things to Do (16)

Met Helva is kind of sweet like Pismaniye Halva which is so popular in Turkey. Met Halva looks like finger and there are... more travel advice

Tourism Info Eskisehir - Eskisehir Before you start to explore Eskisehir Things to Do (16)

Tourism Information Center provides good maps, brochures, magnets for free. It's located next to Republic Museum in... more travel advice

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