Çorum is the capital of Çorum Province inland from the Black Sea coast in central Turkey. Çorum is located at 244 km (152 mi) from Ankara and 608 km (378 mi) from Istanbul. It has a population of 178,500 (2004), and the elevation is 820 m.
Çorum is known for its leblebi (dried chick-peas), and for the valuable Hittite archaeology that has been found in the province.
Geography and climate
Çorum is on a high plateau with a typical inland climate of hot, dry summers (although even summer evenings are chilly) and cold, snowy winters, with light rain in spring and autumn. There is attractive mountainous countryside around the city. The north Anatolian fault line passes 20 km (12 mi) south of Çorum.
History
Hattusa was the capital of Hittite empire. Hittites were one of the oldest civilizations of the world. The first known peace treaty was signed by the Hittites and ancient Egypt on tablets. There is evidence that area has been occupied since 3000 BC and there are a number of important Hittite sites in the province. A Hittite Congress of archaeologists is held in Çorum every three years.
Çorum today
Besides agricultural activities Çorum has flour and feed mills, brick and tile factories, and some light engineering, as well as traditional crafts such as copperware and hand-weaving. Although for a small city this amount of industry is impressive, Çorum is still underdeveloped.
The town is tidy and pleasant although it does have a problem with air pollution. There is a good range of shops, cafes and restaurants; the cuisine includes a variety of pastries including mantı, a type of ravioli baked in the oven or steamed in a beef-broth. People in this part of Turkey (both in central Anatolia and along the Black Sea coast) are religious and conservative so night life is never going to be swinging but there are bars and cafés playing Turkish folk music.
Places of interest
As well as all the Hittite sites the countryside surrounding Çorum offers many places to escape for picnics, particularly near the Çomar reservoir or in the mountains around the province.
The city itself contains:
a 19th century clock tower.
Çorum Museum - displays a range of artefacts from the Hittite and other civilisations, from excavations in the region. Housed in an attractive Ottoman period building.
