What an atmosphere! When you're standing at 1800 m above sea level, on what feels like a flat plain dominated by a few dented summits, you know you are witnessing something very special. I arrived in Erzurum at the end of March, when it was coated with the last flecks of dwindling snow and a light that I had never seen before except during my trip to Armenia. The moon crater landscape with its volcanic mountains and the clear winter light certainly impressed me.
When I arrived in Erzurum, I took an immediate liking to the historical remains of the city, although the majority of the little streets have since been replaced by the fairly modern town centre - which is nonetheless pleasant and lively. The two madrasas from the Seljuq period (XIII-XIV Century) are masterpieces of Islamic art - bare, adorned with magnificent bas-reliefs and amazing colours, with green or blue ceramic bringing out certain details among the austere reddish-brown colour of the volcanic stone. The citadel is another impressive historical site, along with the several mausoleums that are interspersed throughout this very religious city.