Kop Dağı Müdafaası Tarihi Milli Parkı

The 6,335-hectare Kop Dağı Müdafaası Historical National Park, stretching along Kop Dağı on the inner foothills of the Eastern Black Sea Mountains in the central district of Bayburt, was declared a national park in 2016. The park protects the lands where the Defense of Kop Dağı took place, one of the most critical battles of the 1916 Eastern Front during the First World War. After the Sarıkamış disaster, the Ottoman 3rd Army delayed the Russian advance on the 2,400-meter-high slopes of Kop Dağı, implementing the strategy of withdrawing into inner Anatolia; this struggle, which cost thousands of martyrs, is remembered as 'the unbreakable shield of Anatolia'. A unique quality of the area is that it has carried the traces of the war to the present day: bullet casings, remnants of artillery shells and soldiers' belongings can still be found, recorded on site. Martyrs' memorials, defensive positions, trenches and observation points lie within the park boundaries; finds unearthed in excavations carried out with the Bayburt Museum are on display. In terms of nature, the park harbors the rare forest cover of the Eastern Black Sea mountain ecosystem. Scots pine, black pine and fir forests stretch across the slopes; brown bears, wolves, lynx, wild goats, rock partridges and eagle species make up the wildlife. The high slopes at 2,000-2,400 meters attract visitors especially with their snow-covered atmosphere in the February-March period, when the history of the defense took place. The city center of Bayburt is about 25-30 km from the park, and the area is suitable for day trips for history and memorial visits.

What's Offered

• Soil
• Mountain
• Valley
• Toilet
• Parking
• Fountain
• Scenic View
• Wildlife
• First Aid Kit
• Safe Area
• Mobile Signal
• Facilities

Activities

Trekking

Nature Tour

Cycling

Warnings & Important Information