| Göynük
is a picturesque town in northwest Turkey, halfway between Istanbul
and |
| Ankara.
The houses climb either side of a narrow valley from the banks of
a small |
| river,
creating a prospect that would charm the most hardened traveller.
The finest |
| views
over Göynük are from the Clock Tower or the opposite hilltop. Having
looked |
| your
fill it is time to make your way downhill to the Çınaraltı Coffee
House on the |
| banks
of the Göynük river, where you will discover that time has stood still
here. |
| Suddenly
you are reminded of the things that really matter in life: human warmth, |
| exchanging
greetings, smiling, the joy of life. As you stroll through the streets
complete |
| strangers
give you a friendly greeting and add, 'Hoş geldiniz' (Welcome). They
show |
| you
their houses and offer you cups of coffee.Göynük is 220 kilometres
southeast of |
| Istanbul
and 230 kilometres from Ankara. So having got there where should you
begin? |
| First
the Clock Tower, to which any small child you encounter in the street
can direct |
| you.
This tower is Göynük's landmark, constructed to commemorate the establishment |
| of
the Turkish Republic in 1923. When you climb the stairs and emerge
at the summit, |
| all
of Göynük is spread at your feet. Then it is time to explore the streets
at closer |
| quarters.
The traditional houses of Göynük are between a century and a century
and a |
| half
old. It is possible to look round Hükümet Konağı (Government House)
and with the |
| permission
of the owners, the Pulcular, Yahya, Müderrisoğlu, and Hikmet Yerlikaya |
| houses. |
| |
| These
are large timber framed houses of two or three storeys. Along the
banks of the |
| river,
half concealed by the weeping willows, are more modest houses. The
houses of |
| Göynük
lean against the steeply sloping valley sides, resting on a stone
basement. The |
| kitchen
and store rooms are on the ground floor and the main living areas
on the top |
| floors.
The principal reception room, the sofa, is distinguished by small
upper windows, |
| sometimes
with stained glass, above the main windows. Each house has its own |
| individual
character. Family photographs on the walls give glimpses into the
past. You |
| see
children who are now elderly grandmothers, and pictures of young brides.
Like a |
| documentary
film the years pass before your eyes. The memories of 'Cinema' Hayrettin |
| would
make a fascinating documentary in themselves. Hayrettin himself reminisces
about |
| how
he showed the first films in Göynük on a 16 mm camera at 25 kuruş
(piastres) per |
| person;
how Mustafa Kemal Atatürk rewarded him with 100 liras when he presented
him |
| with
a photograph he had taken; how he applied to enter the Academy of
Fine Arts but |
| was
not accepted, and other aspirations which never came true. |
| |
| Continuing
our wanderings through Göynük, our attention was caught by the 14th |
| century
Gazi Süleyman Paşa Hamam (Turkish bath) built by Süleyman Paşa the
son of |
| Sultan
Orhan between 1331 and 1335. The bath is still in use today. Constructed
entirely |
| of
stone, there is a dome over the changing area, tepidarium and private
rooms. Another |
| historic
building is the mausoleum which Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror built
for his |
| teacher
Akşemseddin in 1464. It is a hexagonal domed structure of tufa stone,
whose |
| upper
windows have stained glass set in stucco tracery. The beautiful catafalque
is of |
| walnut
with an inscription carved in relief. Akşemseddin's sons Sadullah
Çelebi and |
| Emrullah
Çelebi are also buried in the tomb. Another mausoleum in the town
belongs to |
| Ömer
Sikkin, a follower of the mystic Hacı Bayram. Venturing outside the
town, in the |
| village
of Soğukçam, are the carved Phrygian reliefs and inscriptions known
as |
| Yazılıkaya
and Gergefkaya, and in the village of Kilciler are some interesting
Byzantine |
| ruins.
The countryside around Göynük is varied and beautiful. Walking around
the |
| nearby
Lake Çubuk or in the mountains is popular with hikers, who camp in
the |
| area. Lake
Çubuk is 10 kilometres from the town, and the pretty village of Çubuk
stands |
| on
the shore. |
| |
| Slightly
further away is Lake Sünnet, to reach which you drive 22 kilometres
along the |
| road
to Bolu from Göynük, then turn off to the right and go another five
kilometres. With |
| an
area of 18 hectares, the lake lies in a bowl in the hills, and was
formed as a result of |
| an
ancient landslide which blocked the outlet of the streams. This area
is a national park, |
| and
there is accommodation for visitors on the lake shore. The spa of
Çatak Hamam 30 |
| kilometres
from Göynük is fed by hot mineral springs with a temperature of 32
degrees |
| Centigrade.
The water is good for rheumatism. There are Roman remains in the spa. |
| Tours
to the local mountain pastures of Çubuk, Çiçekli, Karabey and Demirözü
run by |
| Göynük
Hotel is a good way to explore the surrounding countryside. There
are many |
| picturesque
villages in the district worth visiting, Soğukcam, Gerişler, Aksaklar, |
| Memeceler,
Aşağı Kınık and Kilciler being but a few. If you want to take a souvenir
of |
| Göynük
back home for yourself or your friends, then wind up your trip with
a visit to the |
| village
of Kılavuzlar. Here local woodcarvers produce attractive spoons, kitchen
articles |
| and
decorative items. Altogether Göynük is the perfect place for a memorable
weekend, |
| or
indeed several, away from the city. |
