Kırıkkale brings together industrial history and religious architecture, along with urban open spaces and places to stop for a meal. The MKE-Kırıkkale Weapons Museum and Nur Mosque offer different cultural highlights; Merkez Çarşı and Büyük Şehir Parkı complement them with shopping, cafés and paths through green spaces. You can choose the focus of your stay based on whether you are mainly interested in collections and architectural history or also in park and city life.
Weapons Museum: History and Collection
The MKE-Kırıkkale Weapons Museum was established on July 15, 1990, inside the Kırıkkale Light Weapons Factory and was initially named “Silahsan A.Ş. Özel Silah Müzesi”. A large part of its collection comes from the weapons factory in Istanbul’s Tophane district. In addition to the historical collection, the museum has an area featuring modern weapons made by MKE, which are presented to visitors.
In 2022, with MKE’s support and at its initiative, the museum moved to its new location in Kırıkkale city center. The site covers about 3,500 square meters. It includes a two-story administrative building and a museum building with a training room, cafeteria and exhibition area.
The museum is located within Kırıkkale Merkez district and can be reached by local public transport. Check local connections before setting out. The combination of industrial history, collections and modern weapons production makes a museum visit a distinct focus alongside the city’s religious architecture.
Nur Mosque: Architecture and Construction History
Nur Mosque is located on Kırıkkale’s city square. Construction began in 2008 and was completed in 2015; it was designed by architect Necip Dinç. The mosque was built in accordance with Seljuk and Ottoman architectural concepts. Its main dome is 32 meters high, the building has four minarets, and its capacity is 10,000 people. The covered area spans about 25,000 square meters. Its lighting system has also received an international award.
The complex includes a conference hall, a seminar room, a library and reading room, an education center for Turkish-Islamic arts and crafts, classrooms and a family counseling center. There is also an area for presenting and selling religious publications. These varied facilities give an impression of the complex’s different functions; the rooms and services mentioned should be understood as components of the complex.
Park, Market and Places to Stop
Büyük Şehir Parkı offers a different focus from the museum and mosque. It extends over 50 dönüm and includes green spaces, play areas, walking and cycling paths, as well as cafés. This adds opportunities to spend time outdoors to the city’s cultural offerings. The park’s facilities may change.
Merkez Çarşı is in central Kırıkkale and was designed around the concept of “Tarihi Kırıkkale Evleri”. There you can shop, have a drink, take a break and take photographs. At “Tarihi Kırıkkale Evleri”, shops sell souvenirs and regional products, and cafés and restaurants have indoor and outdoor seating areas. There are also cafés along Atatürk Boulevard. Individual commercial offerings may change.
Accommodation and Getting Around
If the MKE-Kırıkkale Weapons Museum is part of your stay, consider the local public transport connections and check local routes before setting out. You can choose separately for your other interests: the museum and mosque offer collections and architecture, while the park and market offer green spaces and city amenities.
Discover more destinations: Karakeçili, Keskin, Pınarhisar.
View the main travel overview: Kirikkale.
