Turkey travel guide
Explore Kocaeli, a convenient escape near Istanbul offering Marmara and Black Sea coastlines, Kartepe’s mountain scenery, Ballıkayalar Nature Park, museums, beaches, forests and year-round outdoor activities.
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Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →A historic mosque with sixteenth-century origins, commissioned by Defterdar Abdüsselam Bey. Also known as İmaret Mosque, it has undergone repairs and alterations over time. Respect prayer times and worship arrangements.
📍 Kemalpaşa Mahallesi, Abdüsselam İmaret Camii, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A memorial tomb on Babadağ in Kandıra commemorating Akçakoca Bey, a commander of the early Ottoman period. It is a cultural landmark associated with the Ottoman expansion into the Kocaeli region.
📍 Babadağ mevkii, Akçakoca Bey Anıt Mezarı, Kandıra/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →Housed in the historic Redif building, this museum is known for collections relating to the Turkish War of Independence and Ottoman daily life. The ethnography collection was transferred here in 2020. Confirm current opening status and hours with the museum directorate.
📍 Kemalpaşa Mahallesi, İnönü Caddesi 80-1, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →Also known as Urgancı Ahmet Çelebi Mosque, this place of worship forms part of Izmit’s urban heritage. Its name connects it with the Baç area and the plane tree in its grounds. The building has undergone additions and repairs. Respect worship arrangements.
📍 Cedit Mahallesi, İnönü Caddesi başlangıcı, Baç Çınarlı Camii, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A protected archaeological area documented for settlement traces and pottery from different periods. The remains extend across a broad area rather than a managed visitor site. Check access, property boundaries and conservation restrictions before visiting.
📍 Çınarlı–Çenedağ mevkii, arkeolojik sit alanı, Derince/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A sixteenth-century Ottoman roadside complex comprising a mosque, tomb, madrasa, library and other service buildings. It was designed to serve travellers along a historic route. Respect worship arrangements when visiting.
📍 Mustafapaşa Mahallesi, Çoban Mustafa Paşa Külliyesi, Gebze/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →Surviving tower and wall remains of the historic castle in central Darıca. Only part of the original fortification remains. It should not be expected to resemble a complete castle; view the remains without climbing on them.
📍 Darıca merkez, tarihî kale kalıntıları, Darıca/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →A nineteenth-century Ottoman mansion in Demirciler, noted for its painted interior decoration. It forms part of the area’s residential architectural heritage. Check its current use and interior access before visiting.
📍 Demirciler Mahallesi, tarihî Demirciler Konağı, Dilovası/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →A historic railway ensemble including the main station building, warehouse and railway housing. It represents the area’s railway heritage. Observe operational boundaries and do not enter tracks or restricted railway areas.
📍 Büyük Derbent, Hikmetiye çevresi, tarihî istasyon binaları, Kartepe/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →A historic tomb in the Bağçeşme area. Its inscription names Abdullah Es-Seyyid Ese Molla Dede, connecting the site with Izmit’s Ottoman religious and Sufi heritage. Observe local visiting customs.
📍 Orhan Mahallesi, Bağçeşme mevkii, Ese Dede Türbesi, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A Byzantine castle on a hill northeast of Eskihisar harbour. Its inner and outer fortifications form part of the historic defences of the Gulf of Izmit. Check current access arrangements before visiting.
📍 Eskihisar Mahallesi, kale tepesi, Gebze/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →A historic fountain in the village square near Osman Hamdi Bey’s house. Its paired spouts and basins, arched niches and Ottoman inscription reflect Eskihisar’s water-related architectural heritage.
📍 Eskihisar Mahallesi, köy meydanı, tarihî meydan çeşmesi, Gebze/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →A central Izmit mosque with origins in the sixteenth century. Rebuilt following earthquakes on several occasions, it was reconstructed in keeping with its earlier form after the 1999 earthquake. Respect worship arrangements.
📍 Cevdet Dengel Hoca Caddesi, Fevziye Camii, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →Also known as Bostan Dolabı, this historic water structure is associated with the supply system serving the Çoban Mustafa Pasha Complex and Gebze. Check current visitor access and restoration arrangements for the square building with its pyramidal roof.
📍 Gebze merkez, tarihî Su Dolabı yapısı, Gebze/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →One of the burial grounds of ancient Nicomedia. Ancient tombs and Byzantine building remains were identified during road works. It is not a managed open-air museum; confirm access and conservation restrictions before visiting.
📍 Gültepe ve Yenidoğan çevresi, antik nekropol alanı, İzmit/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →A memorial to the Carthaginian commander Hannibal within the TÜBİTAK Gebze campus, inaugurated in 1981. It should not be treated as proof of the exact location of his ancient grave. Confirm campus entry and visitor permission arrangements in advance.
📍 TÜBİTAK Gebze Yerleşkesi, Hannibal Anıtı, Gebze/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →Founded in 1843, this historic factory developed through textile production for Ottoman palaces. Its silk furnishings and later carpet production make it an important part of Hereke’s industrial heritage. Confirm visitor access and restrictions around production areas in advance.
📍 Hereke, tarihî Halı ve İpekli Dokuma Fabrikası, Körfez/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →A historic fortification in Hereke, also associated with the Ottoman conquest of the Izmit region. The restored castle reopened to visitors in 2023. Check current visiting arrangements.
📍 Hacı Akif Mahallesi, Kale Sokak, Hereke, Körfez/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →A historic mosque built in 1899 during Sultan Abdülhamid II’s reign on land donated by Habibe Hanım. Its restoration was completed in 2014. Observe local rules when visiting this place of worship.
📍 Hikmetiye Mahallesi, Doğukan Caddesi No:2, Kartepe/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A historic site associated with Mehmed II’s final campaign and death. The Hünkâr Fountain was built in his memory in 1659. Also known as Fatih Sebili, the fountain and surrounding meadow form part of Gebze’s Ottoman heritage.
📍 Hünkâr Çayırı ve Hünkâr Çeşmesi, Gebze/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →Also known as the Hungarian House, this municipal cultural venue commemorates Imre Thököly and introduces visitors to Izmit’s connections with Hungarian history.
📍 Yenidoğan Mahallesi, Hastane Yolu Sokak No:19, İzmit/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →Built to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of Sultan Abdülhamid II’s accession, this neoclassical stone and marble clock tower is an Izmit landmark. Fountains form part of its lower section.
📍 Kemalpaşa Mahallesi, Saat Kulesi, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A cultural venue in Sekapark introducing Mevlana and Mevlevi culture. The house also hosts cultural activities and programmes. Check current visiting hours and the events calendar before visiting.
📍 Kozluk Mahallesi, Sekapark alanı, Mevlevi Evi, İzmit/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →A waterfront museum area in Izmit featuring the former warship TCG Gayret and submarine TCG Hızır Reis. Exhibits introduce naval history and life aboard. Check current visiting hours, accessible sections and admission arrangements before visiting.
📍 Salim Dervişoğlu Caddesi, Yelken Kulübü yanı, Müze Gemiler alanı, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A timber pavilion within the historic textile factory grounds on the Hereke waterfront. Commissioned under Sultan Abdülhamid II to receive foreign guests, it is also known as the Nail-Free Pavilion. Check interior access arrangements before visiting.
📍 Hacı Akif Mahallesi, Hereke Cumhuriyet Caddesi No:10, Körfez/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →A street lined with timber houses reflecting the historic residential character of Izmit. Protected buildings provide a walking route through the city’s traditional architecture. Respect the privacy of residential properties.
📍 Akçakoca Mahallesi, Kapanca Sokak, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A memorial tomb commemorating Karamürsel Alp, an important figure in early Ottoman naval history. It connects the town’s name with its maritime heritage. Observe the rules of the memorial grounds.
📍 Karamürsel Alp Anıt Mezarı, Karamürsel/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →An Ottoman palace building dating from Sultan Abdülaziz’s reign, also known as the Hunting Pavilion. Near Izmit Clock Tower, it is noted for its marble work and decorated interiors. Check current visiting hours.
📍 Kemalpaşa Mahallesi, Saray Yokuşu, Kasr-ı Hümayun, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A sixteenth-century roadside caravanserai commissioned by Hacı Hamza bin İvaz. Following restoration, the historic trading-route building was adapted for cultural and artistic events. Check interior access and the events programme before visiting.
📍 Şirinköy Mahallesi, İpekyolu Bulvarı No:96, Gölcük/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →Housed in buildings within the historic Izmit railway station grounds, the museum displays archaeological objects from prehistoric times to the Ottoman period. Formerly the Archaeology and Ethnography Museum, its ethnography section was relocated in 2020.
📍 Kozluk Mahallesi, İstasyon Caddesi No:5, İzmit/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →Housed in Portakal Hafız Mansion, the museum introduces local life and Manav culture in Kocaeli. Its focus on traditions and everyday life offers an introduction to the city’s cultural memory.
📍 Çukurbağ Mahallesi, Bahariye Caddesi No:94 D:2, Portakal Hafız Konağı, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A museum in Izmit exploring the history of journalism and news production. Local press heritage and historical journalism equipment illuminate the city’s media history. Check opening days before visiting.
📍 Akçakoca Mahallesi, Kapanca Sokak No:9, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A Roman sarcophagus dating to the second century AD, also known locally as the Roman Tomb. Its inscription and human relief figures illustrate funerary traditions of ancient Bithynia.
📍 Konca mevkii, Konca Lahdi, Gölcük/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A listed historic tomb in Gebze. The square, open-sided structure has a dome supported by piers and columns. Its brickwork and arches form part of the town’s architectural heritage.
📍 Kızılay Caddesi, Malkoçoğlu Türbesi, Gebze/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A sixteenth-century Ottoman stone bridge over the Dil Stream. Its three arches form part of the transport heritage of the historic Istanbul–Izmit route. Check the approach route because the bridge lies within an industrial area.
📍 Dil Deresi üzeri, tarihî Mimar Sinan Köprüsü, Dilovası/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →An archaeological protection area associated with the acropolis and settlement of ancient Nicomedia. Scattered citadel and wall remains survive within modern Izmit. It is not a fully presented ancient-city visitor site; respect private property and protected-area boundaries.
📍 Orhan Mahallesi, iç kale ve sur kalıntıları çevresi, İzmit/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →A historic bathhouse near the beginning of the route to Sultan Baba’s tomb. Associated with the former Sultanbaba lodge, it was rebuilt in different periods. Because earthquake damage is documented, check its current structural condition and access arrangements before visiting.
📍 Örcün Mahallesi, Sultan Baba Türbesi yolu başlangıcı, Gölcük/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →A historic mosque associated with the Ottoman conquest of Izmit, commissioned by Gazi Süleyman Pasha in his father Orhan Gazi’s name. It is known for the tradition of carrying a sword during the Friday sermon. Respect worship arrangements.
📍 Orhan Mahallesi, Orhan Camii, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →Built in 1884, this historic house was the summer residence of painter and museum pioneer Osman Hamdi Bey. The mansion, studio and associated buildings reflect his life. Official information mentions restoration and exhibition works; confirm current visitor access before travelling.
📍 Eskihisar Mahallesi, Osman Hamdi Bey Evi ve Müzesi, Gebze/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →Aqueduct and channel remains near Topallar associated with the Roman water supply of Nicomedia. Different arches belonging to the same water system are covered in this single entry. Check rural access conditions and avoid climbing on the remains.
📍 Topallar Mahallesi, Paşasuyu mevkii, tarihî su kemerleri, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →An Ottoman complex designed by Mimar Sinan and dated to 1579. Its surviving elements include the mosque, also known as Yeni Cuma, the primary school and remains of the bathhouse. Respect visiting rules in worship areas.
📍 Ömerağa Mahallesi, Pertev Paşa Külliyesi, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A museum exploring the development of photography through cameras, lenses and related equipment. Built around İlker Kumral’s collection, it also introduces local photographic history. It is a separate museum within the same grounds as the SEKA Paper Museum.
📍 Kozluk Mahallesi, Mehmet Ali Kağıtçı Sokak No:77, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A historic residential building in the Yukarı Pazar area of Izmit, noted for its sash windows and woodwork. Check its current use and interior access arrangements before visiting.
📍 Hacı Hasan Mahallesi, Sırrı Paşa Yokuşu No:2, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →Built in 1776, this mansion is an example of Ottoman residential architecture in Izmit. It is noted for its wooden shutters, barred windows and painted decoration. Check its current use and interior access arrangements before visiting.
📍 Veliahmet Mahallesi, Saatçi Ali Efendi Konağı, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A historic settlement known for its traditional timber houses with bağdadi plasterwork. The village is an urban conservation area, while its cemetery is archaeologically protected. As it remains a residential neighborhood, respect private property.
📍 Saraylı Mahallesi, tarihî köy merkezi, Gölcük/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →An industrial heritage museum preserving the former SEKA paper factory. Production machinery, pulp preparation equipment and energy infrastructure explain papermaking and the history of the factory.
📍 Kozluk Mahallesi, Mehmet Ali Kağıtçı Sokak No:77, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A nineteenth-century mansion commissioned by Selim Sırrı Pasha, the governor of Izmit. Its timber-frame structure, separate domestic and reception sections, wall paintings and decorative interiors illustrate Ottoman residential architecture.
📍 Hacı Hasan Mahallesi, Sırrı Paşa Caddesi No:18, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →Castle ruins on a small peninsula extending into the sea. Thought to be Byzantine, the site is associated with historic coastal and harbour defences. It is not a managed museum; take account of rocky ground and coastal conditions.
📍 Seyrek kıyısı, kale kalıntıları, Kandıra/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →An early Ottoman bathhouse commissioned by Süleyman Pasha, son of Orhan Gazi. Also known as Yukarı Pazar or Dere Hamamı, the restored building has a double-bath layout. Official visitor information lists it as closed to visitors.
📍 Akçakoca Mahallesi, Orhan Caddesi No:3, İzmit/Kocaeli
Museums & History
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Submit a Radar report →An Ottoman-period tomb on a cypress-lined hill in Örcün. Its wooden cenotaph and surrounding historic graves form part of the area’s religious heritage. Respect the rules of the tomb and cemetery.
📍 Örcün Mahallesi, Sultan Baba Türbesi, Gölcük/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →An early Ottoman monument in Gebze, commissioned by Orhan Gazi. Archival records place the start of construction in the fourteenth century. It is a separate building from Orhan Mosque in Izmit. Respect worship arrangements.
📍 Sultan Orhan Mahallesi, Sultan Orhan Camii, Gebze/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A historic settlement whose traditional houses, gardens and street pattern preserve traces of rural life. Explore the residential neighborhood on foot while respecting private homes and avoiding entry without permission.
📍 Tavşancıl Mahallesi, tarihî yerleşim merkezi, Dilovası/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →An archaeological area containing burial mounds associated with the Hellenistic and Roman periods, including Aytepe and the Great Tumulus. The official visitor information lists the site as closed. Do not enter burial chambers or protected areas without permission.
📍 Kabaoğlu–Üçtepeler çevresi, eski İstanbul yolu, İzmit/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →An Ottoman bridge on the historic route from Karamürsel towards Iznik. Associated with Kösem Sultan’s charitable works, the cut-stone structure represents seventeenth-century bridge architecture in the region.
📍 Yalakdere çevresi, tarihî Valide Sultan Köprüsü, Karamürsel/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →The memorial tomb of Yahya Kaptan, who helped organize resistance in the Kocaeli region during the Turkish War of Independence. Located in Tavşancıl, it also hosts commemorative ceremonies. Respect the memorial and burial grounds.
📍 Tavşancıl Mahallesi, Yahya Kaptan Anıt Mezarı, Dilovası/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A former reconnaissance and patrol vessel displayed ashore on the Kavaklı waterfront. Following its service in the Turkish Navy, it became a museum presenting naval history through photographs, objects and displays. Check current visitor arrangements.
📍 Kavaklı Mahallesi, Sahil Caddesi No:68, Gölcük/Kocaeli
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Submit a Radar report →A historic mosque commissioned by Yumurtacı Muhammet Ali Ağa in 1631. The rectangular building has a timber roof and has undergone repairs over time. Respect prayer times and worship arrangements.
📍 Hacı Hasan Mahallesi, Sırrı Paşa Caddesi, Yumurtacı Camii, İzmit/Kocaeli
Plan your visit
Kocaeli lies east of Istanbul between the Marmara and Black Sea coasts, offering industrial heritage, forest areas, beaches and winter activities at Kartepe.
Summer suits the coast, spring and autumn suit nature, and winter attracts visitors to Kartepe.
Rail, buses and ferries serve urban districts. A car is useful for Kartepe and the Black Sea coast.
Travel conditions and opening arrangements can change. Check current information before your visit.
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