Darende is a town in the mountains of Eastern Anatolia in Turkey, with a population of 26,000 in 2023. You might break a journey between Sivas and Malatya here.
Understand
[edit]The town is first documented in Hittite times, but just about every successor civilisation in Turkey has claimed it or at least marched through and made a mess. It's in a narrow valley through the Anatolian mountains so armies, traders and pilgrims have all come this way.
Darende is at an altitude of 958 m with scorching summers and bitter winters. Tourists flash through on the highway to Malatya, and the town's trades are based on agriculture. They grow barley, wheat, sugar beet, chickpeas and potatoes, with orchards of mulberries, apricots and grapes. Cattle, sheep and Angora goats are raised here.
Get in
[edit]
Malatya Erhaç (MLX IATA) is the nearest airport, with daily flights from Istanbul (IST and SAW) and from Ankara. It's 80 km southeast of Darende.
Highway D300 spans the width of Turkey, from the Aegean coast near Izmir via Konya, Kayseri and Sivas to Darende, and onward east to Malatya, Elazığ, Van and the border with Iran. From Sivas is 180 km and from Malatya is 110 km.
Dolmuşes ply frequently from Malatya, taking 80 min; less often from Sivas. From Istanbul or Ankara you probably need to change at one of those towns.
1 Darende bus terminal is a dusty open square on the main highway south edge of town, where tractors outnumber the buses.
Get around
[edit]Town won't take you long to see. You need wheels to explore this area.
See
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- Central Mosque is mid-town. It's in traditional style but built in 1979.
- Hasan Rıza Paşa Tomb is by the highway just north of Tiryandafil Otel. Hasan Rıza had spells as governor in Bursa, Konya, Aleppo and Karaman, but in 1824 he was sent to Darende in disgrace and died here.
- Yusuf Paşa Bedesteni is a market hall 200 m north of Hasan Rıza's tomb. Named for an 18th century governor, it was in use until the 21st century but is now closed.
- Great Mosque (Ulu Camii) is 100 m north of the Bedesten. It was founded in the 14th century, but has been roiled by earthquakes so what you see now is mostly modern.
- Zengibar Castle is just a few scraps of masonry on the bluffs overlooking Great Mosque. Its date is unknown, but this site was fortified back in Hittite times.
- Tohma Canyon leads up to the Shrine of Somuncu Baba. Its lower section near town is little more than a retail mall.
- 1 Shrine of Somuncu Baba, Hulusi Efendi Cd 55. 24 hours. Mosque, shrine and tomb dedicated to Shaykh Hamid-i Vali (1331-1412 AD), scenically located in the canyon north of town. He was known as Somuncu Baba ("the loaf") as in Bursa he ran a bakery next to his hermitage and doled out bread to the poor along with his wise teachings. He's probably buried in Aksaray not here.
- 2 Abdurrahman Erzincani Mosque is 17 km southeast of town on D300 / D850. Abdurrahman Erzincani was an Ottoman worthy who died here in 1432 AD, and the original mosque was built soon after. But what you see now is a rebuild of 2006, also called "pentangle mosque" for its unusual outline.
- 3 Gürpinar waterfall is 8 km southwest of town on the road to Yeniköy and Elbistan. There's cafes and picnic areas.
- Martyrs' Monument another 500 m along that road commemorates local losses in the First World War.
- 4 Lion Rocks (Aslantaslar) are a pair in the fields 20 km southwest of Darende, up a rough track near the village of Yeniköy. About 1 m tall and facing sunrise, they're believed to be Hittite statues from around 1000 BC. They resemble a ceremonial entrance to a larger structure, but no trace of one has been found.
Do
[edit]
The town hamam has closed down.
Buy
[edit]Lots of little supermarkets in the streets north of the bus station, usually open daily 08:00-22:00.
Eat
[edit]Eating places are mostly along the main street north of the bus station.
Drink
[edit]Some cafes serve beer.
Sleep
[edit]
- 1 Tiryandafil Otel, Somuncu Baba Blv 62, ☏ +90 422 615 1818. A bit shabby, but friendly and acceptable for what you pay. B&B double 2500 TL.
- Otel Darende is on the main road 200 m north of the bus station.
Connect
[edit]As of Nov 2025, Darende and its approach highways have 4G from Türk Telekom and Vodafone, but with many dead spots; no signal from Turkcell. 5G has not yet rolled out in Turkey.
A rarity nowadays in Turkey, Darende still has an internet cafe. It's 100 m north of the bus station, open daily 09:00-00:00.
Go next
[edit]- Kayseri is a sprawling industrial city but has several religious complexes from Seljuk times.
- Malatya was badly damaged in the 2023 earthquake but has accommodation and several sites of interest.
- Mount Nemrut rears up just south of Malatya, but the best road access is from the other side near Kâhta.
| Routes through Darende |
| Konya ← Kayseri ← | W  E
|
→   (W) → Malatya
|
| Tokat ← Sivas ← | N  S
|
→ Malatya → Gaziantep |