Döner Kümbet
A twelve-sided stone tomb with a conical roof, built around 1276 for a Seljuk princess. Its outer walls are carved with the tree of life, griffins and double-headed eagles. It is Kayseri's most photogenic tomb.
The Döner Kümbet was built around 1276 to house the Seljuk princess Şah Cihan Hatun. Its twelve-sided tomb body is topped with a conical stone roof, and it earned the name Döner (rotating) because it looks the same from every angle. The outer walls feature relief carvings of palm-shaped trees of life, double-headed eagles, griffins and lions, among the finest examples of Seljuk tomb carving. Kayseri is known for its many conical-roofed kümbet tombs, and this is the most representative. It stands in a small square beside Talas Boulevard. The exterior is free to view, and it is about a 15-minute walk from the castle or a short tram ride.
Opening hours
Exterior open all day
Nearby sights
- Tomb of Seyyid Burhaneddin
- Güpgüpoğlu Mansion Ethnography Museum
- Hunat Hatun Complex
- Kayseri Castle
- Kayseri Grand Bazaar
- Great Mosque of Kayseri
- Sahabiye Medrese
- Kurşunlu Mosque