Karamanlı: Plains, Historical Traces and Festival Culture

Karamanlı combines vast plains with historical traces and traditions passed down through generations. The town lies at the foot of Ardıçlıtepe and overlooks the Karamanlı Plain. The landscape around Asartepe, Ardıçlı Tepe and Menekşe Sivrisi, as well as the Koca Plain, which covers more than 30,000 dönüms, also shapes the region’s character. The town’s history, festival culture and varied landscapes thus offer distinct reasons to visit.

Plains, Ridges and Plateaus

Karamanlı lies at the foot of Asartepe, Ardıçlı Tepe and Menekşe Sivrisi and overlooks the Koca Plain. Its stated area of more than 30,000 dönüms gives an idea of the scale of this landscape. The Karamanlı Plain is another part of the local scenery. The named ridges and plains give the landscape several different scales, from views across the plain to the wider landscape surrounding the municipality.

The Eşeler Plateau has a different landscape character. The plateau and its forests lie within the boundaries of the municipality of Karamanlı; the area described is 20 kilometres deep and 10 kilometres wide. Three-quarters of it is covered by forest and various kinds of trees. The extensive plateau thus forms a distinct natural area alongside the open plains.

Karataş Lake and Its Birdlife

Nearby, Karataş Lake is a small, shallow freshwater lake beside the Burdur–Karamanlı road. Karataş Tepesi and the Kağılcık Dağları lie in front of the lake. The lake’s sub-basin is an important habitat and breeding ground for birds; 121 bird species have been recorded there in total. The lake thus connects a specific landscape feature with a remarkable natural attraction. If you would like to plan your trip around birdlife or the lake, compare your planned destinations with the location of your accommodation.

Historical Traces in and Around Karamanlı

Settlement traces from the Neolithic period have been described in Karamanlı. The caves at Ardıçlıtepe are considered historical traces. Inscribed stones and sarcophagus lids at Kocapınar are also regarded as evidence of the past. These clues represent different forms of historical heritage: settlement traces, caves, stone finds and grave covers.

Nearby, on the plateaus above the Karamanlı Dam, are open rock-cut tombs that are considered historical evidence. They are another link to the region’s history, distinct from the traces at Ardıçlıtepe and Kocapınar. Those interested in history will therefore find several specific themes in Karamanlı, without conflating them with a single site or archaeological findspot.

Traditional Customs and Dances

Gıncırık is part of Karamanlı’s festive culture and is considered one of the town’s best-known holiday amusements. It was set up in some squares on public holidays. Sallangeç swings were also part of traditional entertainment: they were hung from trees in squares with tall trees, girls and boys took turns using them, and the fun continued throughout the holidays.

Another local tradition is the asker uğurlaması, held before conscription. It involved processions of young men through the streets lasting three to five days, accompanied by davul and zurna. The local Zeybek tradition includes Tek Zeybek and Guluman Zeybeği, both variants of Tavas Zeybeği. Older local dances are gradually being forgotten. These different customs reflect distinct aspects of cultural life: festive entertainment, communal farewell rituals and dance.

Festivals and Karamanlı Walnuts

Walnut, Yayla and marble festivals are part of Karamanlı’s festival history; such events have been held there since 2003. The 15th Karamanlı Yayla, Walnut and Marble Festival was scheduled to take place in Karamanlı from 17 to 19 August 2018 and was organised by the municipality. This is a historical date. If you would like to plan your trip around a festival, check the current event dates in advance.

Karamanlı Cevizi (Karamanlı walnut) is another regional speciality. The walnut received protection effective 21 May 2018 and was registered as a product with a geographical indication of origin on 28 August 2020. The designation of origin refers to production in the Karamanlı district, not exclusively in the town centre.

Choose Accommodation to Suit Your Travel Plans

Whether your trip focuses mainly on local history, traditional customs or the landscape will shape your plans. If Karamanlı itself is your main destination, you can focus your search on a holiday apartment in the town. This lets you choose a base to suit the kind of trip you want, without treating the plains, plateaus and nearby lake as though they were the same place.

Discover more destinations: Kızılkaya, Gölhisar, Bucak, Yeşilova, Karacaören, Ağlasun, Tefenni, Burdur.

Return to the main travel overview: Burdur.